Gautam Gambhir Backed Me As An Opener: Sunil Narine After 109 Runs Knock Against Rajasthan Royals In IPL 2024

New Delhi: Sunil Narine backed Gautam Gambhir for his 109 runs knock against Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2024 match 31 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Tuesday. With Narine’s century, hosts KKR managed to score 223 runs in 20 overs.

“Gautam Gambhir gave me the confidence and the assurance to do well. He backed me as an opener” said Narine after first innings.

KKR got off to a good start despite losing Phil Salt early as they raced to 56/1 in the Power-play thanks mainly to West Indies dasher Sunil Narine and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who was promoted in the order.

Salt failed to make the most of the life he got in the opening over when Riyan Parag put down a sitter at point off Trent Boult. Salt was yet to open his account but could manage only 10 runs off 13 balls, including a boundary off Boult before Avesh Khan plucked a one-handed stunner low to his left in his follow-through.

Sunil Narine saved KKR the blushes as he hammered a half-century to give the team a good start. The West Indies left-hander found a good partner in Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who was promoted to the No.3 position and made it count with an 18-ball 30. Narine was his usual self, going after the bowling, hitting the square of the wicket and not afraid to give it air and clear the rope. After two fine fours off Avesh Khan, the left-hander planted Kuldeep Sen into the stands with a pull that went high into the sky and followed it up with a stylish boundary in the sixth over.

Ravichandran Ashwin was hit for back-to-back boundaries through cover and point region in the eighth over while Yuzvendra Chahal was smoked over long-off for a big six. In the ninth over, Narine ramped Ashwin over long-off to complete his fifty off 29 balls, hitting five boundaries and three maximums. KKR reached 101/1 at the halfway stage.