IPL 2025: Narine Aims for Explosive Starts Following Quick 44 Against CSK
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Synopsis
Sunil Narine's stellar all-round performance, including a bowling figure of 3-13 and a quick 44, led KKR to an impressive victory against CSK in IPL 2025. His commitment to providing explosive starts was evident as KKR won by eight wickets.
Key Takeaways
- Sunil Narine achieved 3-13 bowling figures and a rapid 44 runs.
- KKR defeated CSK by eight wickets in IPL 2025.
- Narine emphasizes the importance of flying starts.
- Moeen Ali praised the team's collective bowling efforts.
- KKR will face Punjab Kings next on April 15.
Chennai, April 11 (NationPress) Sunil Narine’s exceptional all-round performance – featuring a bowling figure of 3-13 and a blistering score of 44 – was pivotal in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) decisively defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by eight wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Narine, whose rapid 18-ball 44 was instrumental in KKR's successful chase of 104 in just 41 balls, expressed his commitment to providing his team with explosive starts.
"Almost (a complete game), next time I hope to take a catch as well (Narine dropped a catch of Vijay Shankar when he was on zero). I focus on my strengths. Batters perform well, but if you pay too much attention to them, you find yourself on the back foot,” Narine remarked.
“You get accustomed and aim to adapt quickly. Observing the power-play helps me contribute to the team. It's quite straightforward – the goal is to get the team off to a flying start. Sometimes it succeeds, sometimes it doesn’t,” Narine, the Player of the Match, stated post-game.
Moeen Ali, who delivered a disciplined spell of 1-20, commended his teammates for their collective efforts in containing the five-time champions.
"Having two left-handed batsmen aided my strategy. I aimed to keep my line as straight as possible. Rinku's dive and stops early in the match boosted my confidence,” he noted.
“In the power-play, you cannot bowl at full pace. Allow the ball to spin. Occasionally it skids, other times it turns. Sunil has been exceptional for a long time. If I can bowl a couple of overs early, it’s beneficial to save them for later. I am learning from them. In the initial overs, you can’t spin every delivery. Just one needs to grip, and that instills doubt in the batters' minds,” he added.
As the defending champions, KKR will have a brief hiatus before their next match against Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on April 15.
