Narine takes 100th IPL wicket in emphatic win
Kolkata: Sunil Narine took his 100th Indian Premier League wicket and Andre Russell produced another blitz in Kolkata Knight Riders’ 71-run drubbing of Delhi Daredevils at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday.
Narine failed with the bat after being sent in to open, but the West Indies spinner more than made up for it with the ball, taking 3-18 to reach the century landmark and claim the purple cap as the Daredevils were bowled out for only 129.
Nitish Rana (59 from 35 balls) made a half-century and Russell smashed a brutal 41 from only 12 deliveries to get KKR up to200-9,Rahul Tewatia claiming impressive figures of 3-18.
Glenn Maxwell made a brisk 47 andRishabh Pant 43, butKuldeep Yadav (3-32) also took three wickets as the Knight Riders secured a second victory and made it a miserable homecoming forGautam Gambhir on Monday.
West Indies all-rounder Russell bludgeoned an unbeaten 88 from 36 balls in a defeat to Chennai Super Kings last week and cut loose again in Kolkata.
The big-hitting Russell smashed six sixes,Mohammed Shami in particular coming in for some treatment while Jason Roy was left to rue putting down a difficult chance to remove the dangerman when he had only seven to his name.
Russell launched Shami for three maximums in an over before he was cleaned up by Trent Boult in the 18th and three wickets in the last over fromTewatia came too late in the day.
Rana made his first half-century for the Knight Riders, clearing the ropes four times and hitting another fiveboundaries in an excellent 35-ball knock.
Former KKR captain Gambhir was given a warm welcome on his return, but his stay at the crease proved to be short.
Shivam Mavi snared the former India opener, who chopped on from a short and wide deliveryto give the teenager his first IPL wicket.
Pant and Maxwell flexed their muscles but failed to build on starts, the Australia all-rounder stomping off in a rage after slapping Yadav to Robin Uthappa at midwicket.
Narine took over as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, striking twice in his second over to leave KKR on the brink at 117-8.
The spin wizard joined the 100 club when Chris Morris attempteda big hit over extra cover but made no contact and heard the death rattle.
Narine then flummoxed Vijay Shankar, who was trapped leg before two balls later, and also got rid of Shami as Delhi slumped to a third defeat out of four.
