Sunil Narine has been the surprise package of IPL-5 and has played a vital role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ success in this year’s league, taking 24 wickets in 14 matches so far. He has got a wicket on every 14th ball – and seems to be having a great time.
A spinner calling the shots in death overs is unheard of in T20 and Narine is the only slow bowler to do so here in IPL with almost 100 per cent success rate. “I am used to bowling in the death overs and I am thankful to the Kolkata team management for showing confidence in my ability. I hope to do the same in the last match of the tournament,” he said while refusing to share his recipe for success which has made him such a dangerous customer
When asked about the batsmen who have played him, Sunil said, “I don’t know... but amongst all the batsmen I have bowled against, Rohit Sharma has played me the best,” he admitted.
“I am feeling at home and like this country a lot. There are a lot of similarities between the West Indies and India and biggest of them all is cricket. I am enjoying every moment of it,” Narine told Times Of India on Wednesday.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, Sourav Ganguly handpicked the Kolkata Knight Riders as the “hot favourites” to win the IPL. He said his sixth sense picked KKR as the probable winners. “They, however, would look to avoid facing Chennai in the final. Otherwise, they look to be the best team to win the IPL this time,” he said.
Meanwhile DNA writes that it wasn’t just the luck factor but a spirited performance by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys that helped Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 38 runs to enter the second qualifier, where they will face Delhi Daredevils for a place in the final of the IPL. CSK were third time lucky, this being their first win over Mumbai in three meetings. But more importantly, the win kept them in hunt for their third successive title.
Chasing 188, Mumbai Indians started off brilliantly as Sachin Tendulkar (11) and Dwayne Smith (38) added 47 runs for the opening wicket in just 4.5 overs.
But after Tendulkar was run out, following a terrible mix up Smith, the match turned in CSK’s favour. Mumbai kept losing wickets at regular intervals as they ended up with 149 for nine in 20 overs.
