In a dominant representation, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) recorded a stunning 98-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in game 54 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on Sunday (May 5) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Sunil Narine proved to be a standout player for KKR and showcased his prowess with both the bat and the ball throughout the game. However, what really stole the spotlight was Narine’s unexpected display of emotion – a rare laugh and a wide grin – after dismissing an opposition batsman, marking a departure from his typically stoic demeanor on the field.
Fall of Ayush Badoni
On the fourth ball of the 13th over, Narine delivers a slightly pulled-back length delivery around the off-stump. Ayush BadoniHe goes for a big shot and advances down the stretch with aggressive intent. However, his attempt lacks the necessary force, so the bat twists slightly in his grip. This causes the ball to spiral up into the night sky and stay in the air for a longer period of time. Finally, it drops towards the middle region. Mitchell Starc Stationed at long range, the ball positions itself perfectly and grabs an easy catch, ensuring Badoni’s elimination.
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Sunil Narine’s uncharacteristic display of emotions
After that, something remarkable happened. Narine, known for his unwavering poker face that carried the same stoic expression whether things were going his way or not, exceeded all expectations. When Badoni departed after a missed shot, the usually emotionless Narine broke character. With a wide grin on his face, he embraced the moment with undisguised joy, a rare sight that gave the game an unexpected twist.
Here is the video:
Sunil Narine is enjoying tonight 😂👊🏻
The rarest moment in the history of cricket pic.twitter.com/sXoqtVMhnW–Aditya. (@Hurricanrana_27) May 5, 2024
KKR dominates LSG: Narine’s heroics shine
Earlier in the game, KKR took advantage of their batting power and posted an impressive score of 235/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Narine’s explosive innings of 81 runs comes off just 39 deliveries along with Phil SaltThe brisk 32 from 14 balls contributed significantly to KKR’s impressive result.
In response, the LSG stalled and only had the captain KL Rahul Completed 25 runs and was an all-rounder Marcus Stoinis Contribution of 36 runs. The rest of the LSG line-up struggled to make their mark and failed to surpass the 20-run mark individually as they managed 137 runs in 16.1 overs. Narine continued to impress, not just with the bat but with the ball as well, remaining economical and picking just 22 runs for a wicket in his four overs. Hard rana And Varun Chakraborty LSG’s problems only worsened as they each secured three wickets to limit their opponents’ scoring chances.
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