IPL 2024: Narine extends red hot form as KKR post 235/6 against LSG

LUCKNOW: Sunil Narine continued his explosive run in the IPL with an 81 off 38 balls, propelling Kolkata Knight Riders to 235 for six against hosts Lucknow Super Giants here on Sunday.

Proving his worth with the willow once again, the West Indian went on a six-hitting spree, blasting seven maximums and six fours.

The in-form Narine, who was dropped twice in the space of two balls, smoked five boundaries in five balls, setting the tone for the KKR innings.

First, he hammered back-to-back fours off Naveen-ul-Haq in the last two balls of the third over. He then attacked the offside, hitting three boundaries on the trot off Mohsin Khan in the fourth over.

Narine and Phil Salt (32) gave the two-time champions the explosive start they have come to expect from the duo. Together they put up a quick 61-run stand before Naveen-ul Haq took the pace off the ball to send the Englishman packing.

Medium pacer Yash Thakur then stemmed the flow of runs in the final over of the powerplay, giving away only two runs as KKR reached 70/1.

However, the unperturbed Narine continued his onslaught and brought up his fifty off 27 deliveries with a cheeky late dab that sent the ball rolling past short third.

He took a particular liking to Marcus Stoinis, sending the ball over the fence three times in the 11th over.

But Ravi Bishnoi, on whose bowling Narine was dropped twice before, was third time lucky as he put an end to the all-rounder's spectacular innings.

The LSG bowlers were able to rein in the KKR batters as they kept taking wickets.

Naveen-ul Haq got rid of Andre Russell (12) before Yudhvir Singh, who came as a concussion sub for Mohsin Khan, picked up young Angkrish Raghuvanshi's (32) wicket in the next over.

The Afghan pacer swung back into action to account for the big-hitting Rinku Singh (16) while Thakur removed Shreyas Iyer (23).

But Ramandeep Singh's unbeaten 25 off 6 balls took KKR past the 230-run mark.