The IPL 2024 match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the iconic Eden Gardens witnessed a monumental performance from Sunil Narine. Coming into bat under challenging circumstances, Narine’s scorching century not only propelled KKR’s total but also left fans and critics in awe of his explosive batting.

Early Game Analysis

The match began with KKR batting first after RR’s captain, Sanju Samson, won the toss and opted to field. The decision seemed sound as RR’s bowlers initially managed to restrict KKR’s openers. Phil Salt’s early dismissal set the stage for Narine, who started cautiously but was clearly gearing up for a significant onslaught.

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Narine’s Batting Strategy

Narine’s approach against both spin and pace was calculated. Focusing on waiting for the bad ball, he capitalized significantly on anything pitched wrong. His strategy to dominate the spinners, especially targeting Ashwin and Chahal, played a crucial role in accelerating his scoring rate.

Narine’s fifty came off just 29 balls, a fiery innings highlighted by a massive six to bring up his half-century. The first 10 overs were crucial, with Narine and Angkrish Raghuvanshi pushing the score past 100, setting a robust platform for a big total.

Race to the Century

Post the half-century, Narine shifted gears. Each over seemed like a spectacle, with Narine smashing boundaries at will. The climactic moment came when he hit a powerful six over long-off to notch up his century in just 49 balls, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Narine’s ability to read the bowlers and his impeccable timing were evident throughout his innings. His preference for straight drives and clearing the long-off and long-on boundaries demonstrated his technical prowess and understanding of the field placements.

Boult to Narine, out Bowled!! Knocked him over! It has been a sensational knock from Narine and Boult congratulates him on his way back! A standing ovation for Narine! Narine scored 109(56) [4s-13 6s-6]

IPL hundreds for KKR
158* – Brendon McCullum vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2008
105* – Sunil Narine vs RR, Kolkata, 2024
104 – Venkatesh Iyer vs MI, Mumbai WS, 2023

April 16th, 2013 – Sunil Narine took an IPL Hat-trick.
April 16th, 2024 – Sunil Narine scored IPL Hundred.

Fan and Media Reaction

The social media buzz was immediate, with fans and pundits praising Narine for his record-setting innings. Media coverage highlighted this innings as one of the top performances of IPL 2024.