From Pinch-Hitter to Centurion: Sunil Narine Demolishes RR Bowling Scoring a Stunning 49-ball 100

In an unexpected twist of fate, it was pinch-hitter Sunil Narine, who stepped up for the Kolkata Knight Riders and scored a blazing century off just 49 balls, the first of his IPL career and the third batter to score the same in KKR history.

Narine scripted history for KKR as well, becoming just the third batter to ever score a century for the side, following the footsteps of Brendon McCullum and Venkatesh Iyer.

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Narine has quickly became a mainstay in the top-order of the KKR batting lineup. And this season, he has consistently opened the innings alongside firecracker Phil Salt, who was yet another sneaky buy from KKR in the auction last year.

Narine has been in blazing form for KKR, as he has notched up quickfire scores of  27, 47 and a game-defining 85 this season for his side.

And today was no different, as the Windies all-rounder took on the RR bowlers and toyed with them as he pleased.

Narine, who lost his opening strike partner Salt for a meagre 10 runs, took over the responsibility, and went right after the pacers to begin with.

The likes of Kuldeep Sen, Trent Boult and Avesh Khan were all whacked for fours galore, as Narine played off their pace with effortless ease, and sent the ball running.

But, it was infact the way that Narine took on RR’s marquee spinners that caught everyone’s eyes.

Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin are no pushovers. RR often depend on the spinsters to slow down the scoring in the middle overs and to scalp the big wickets. But tonight, Narine made light work of the duo, whacking them both at his will, as he slammed his way to quickfire fifty.

The battle with Ashwin and Narine was the box-office attraction today, as both spin wizards faced off in a game of chess, trying to break the other.

Ashwin’s mastermind was to draw Narine out of the pitch, with wider slower delveries, hoping that either the batter misses on the swing to get stumped, or that he attacks the same half-heartedly to find the outside edge for an easy catch.

But, it was not meant to be for Ashwin, who was punished accordingly for his errors, as Narine just slashed away at the veteran.

But, his crowning moment of the night arrived when Yuzvendra Chahal came in to bowl his last over.

Chahal, who was sitting on 199 IPL wickets himself, was in the hunt to scalp his historic wicket, and what other occasion than tonight?

But, little would he know that history would be made on the other side, as Narine took on the spinner with courage and strength, manhandling his deliveries and slogging it all down the ground for 6,4,6,4 respecively.

And it was with the last 4 off Chahal, when Narine reached his momentous goal, his first century for KKR and in T20s as a whole, in a mere 49 deliveries as well.

His dream innings came to an abrupt end as Trent Boult finally ousted the spinner with a fuller inswinger to rattle the stumps and send the West Indian packing.

A few years back, the name Sunil Narine would send shivers down the spines of batters galore. The menacing spinner made a name for himself with his unorthodox bowling and impeccable consistency, as he wreaked havoc over all those who faced him.

But, it has been an interesting phenomenon to witness how the West Indian spinner now makes headlines more so for his impressive hard-hitting ability, whilst still maintaining his reputation as the strike spinner he is.

And he can rest assured that the Eden Gardens will forever remember his innings, as Narine walked out humbly soaking in the respect and admiration of all who witnessed.