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KKR openers rewrite record books with a brutal display of batting dominance
The floodlights at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore bathed the pitch in an electric glow on May 7, 2017. The stage was set for another pulsating encounter in the IPL, with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) locking horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, what unfolded that night wasn't just a cricket match; it was a one-sided exhibition of sheer power, orchestrated by the metamorphosis of Sunil Narine.
RCB, electing to bat first, got off to a shaky start. Their star-studded batting lineup, featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and AB de Villiers, failed to live up to their billing. The KKR bowlers, with their variations and control, kept them on a tight leash. While Mandeep Singh and Travis Head showed some grit with a 71-run partnership, wickets fell at regular intervals.
The in-form Head tried his best to lift RCB's spirits with a defiant 47-ball 75, laced with audacious six-hitting. However, the rest of the batting order failed to capitalise, and RCB could only muster a modest total of 158 runs.
The chase, however, was anything but modest. KKR, with a surprise in their batting order, sent shivers down the spines of the RCB bowlers. Sunil Narine, the enigmatic mystery spinner who had bamboozled batsmen for years, emerged as the new opening batsman.
Narine, unleashed in his new role, transformed into a merciless destroyer. The RCB bowlers, perhaps unprepared for this aggressive avatar, offered a platter of full tosses, length balls, and wide deliveries.
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The Narine Storm
Narine feasted on these offerings with relish, launching a brutal assault on the bowlers. A hat-trick of sixes off Samuel Badree's usually deceptive googly set the tone for the carnage. Boundaries rained down like confetti as Narine reached his fifty in a staggering 15 balls, equaling the record for the fastest IPL fifty.
Chris Lynn, the Australian swashbuckler returning from injury, joined the party with equal gusto. Taking a cue from Narine's masterclass, he unleashed his powerful swing, dispatching the ball to the boundary with disdain. The sight of both openers toying with the RCB bowling attack was nothing short of phenomenal.
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Lynn joins the party
The scoreboard ticked over at an alarming rate, and before RCB could blink, the partnership had amassed a record-breaking 105 runs in the powerplay overs alone. Lynn, not wanting to be outdone by his partner, contributed a whirlwind 50 runs off just 22 balls, further highlighting KKR's dominance. This left RCB needing a miracle to pull off an improbable victory.
KKR's dominance continued with the remaining batsmen. They chased down the target with eight wickets and 4.5 overs to spare, highlighting the completeness of their performance.
The victory was a testament to KKR's tactical nous and the brilliance of Sunil Narine. His transformation from a bowling maestro to a batting blitzkrieg not only sealed the win but also etched his name in IPL history.
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The duo
This match will forever be remembered as a thrilling encounter, though overshadowed by a new record set in the 2024 season. The Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by a blazing opening partnership of Travis Head (89) and Abhishek Sharma (46), rewrote the record books by scoring a staggering 125 runs in the Powerplay overs against the Delhi Capitals.
