Sunil Narine. (Photo Source: ILT20)
IPL 2023 is still a few weeks away, but Kolkata Knight Riders‘ Sunil Narine has already started to spin a web around the batters. The mystery spinner, who was scheduled to regroup with his KKR teammates, wreaked havoc in a T&T Cricket Board Premiership Division I match after his flight got delayed.
Representing the Queen’s Park Cricket Club I, Sunil Narine made a mockery of the Clarke Road United’s batting order at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair, Port-of-Spain. The wily spinner, who headed into the match on the back of four consecutive five-wicket hauls and 31 wickets in three matches, scalped seven wickets with a total of seven maiden overs to his name in a devastating display of spin bowling.
His heroics with the ball restricted the opposition to a modest total of 76 runs in just 24 overs. Narine’s team, in their reply, out batted their opponents after declaring for a total of 268/3. It is worth noting that the 34-year-old was not scheduled to play this game as he was on his way to the subcontinent to take part in the upcoming editions of the Indian Premier League.
Narine’s form will be crucial for the Kolkata-based franchise as they are already sweating on the fitness of star Indian batter and team captain Shreyas Iyer. Meanwhile, the Windies all-rounder last featured in Comilla Victorians’ triumph against the Sylhet Strikers in the final of the Bangladesh Premier League 2023.
The veteran cricketer from Trinidad & Tobago did not have the best of time in the inaugural edition of the ILT20 as Abu Dhabi Knight Riders finished with a solitary win to their name under his leadership. He will be looking to guide KKR to their third IPL title when the 16th edition of the tournament commences later this month.
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