IPL: Narine’s maiden hundred not enough for KKR

KOLKATA, India (CMC):

Sunil Narine lashed a magnificent maiden Twenty20 hundred but it came in a losing cause as Englishman Jos Buttler responded with his eighth century in the format, to help Rajasthan Royals reel in 224 and equal the highest successful chase in Indian Premier League history here yesterday.

The left-handed Narine blasted 109 off 56 balls at the top of the order, a knock which propelled Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to 223 for six off their 20 overs after they were sent in at Eden Gardens.

However, Buttler, who only 10 days ago belted exactly 100 not out in a winning effort against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, sparkled yet again with a sensational unbeaten 107 off 60 deliveries, as Royals won by two wickets with a ball to spare.

They needed eight runs from the final over from leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, and Buttler made sure of the victory by clearing the ropes at long-on with the first ball before sprinting a couple to long-off off the penultimate delivery.

Buttler's heroics and Royals' record chase overshadowed Narine's performance, the 35-year-old also picking up two for 30 from four overs of top-class off-spin to complete an amazing outing.

"The job is just to go out there and try to give a good start; whatever situation is there, still keep going," Narine said.

"If you play too many balls in the power-play it could hurt you down in the back end, so it's just to go out there and give the team as good a start as possible."

KKR lost Phil Salt for10 in the fourth over with 21 on the board, but Narine cranked up the scoring as he dominated an 85-run, second-wicket partnership with Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30) and a 51-run, fourth-wicket stand with former West Indies teammate Andre Russell (13).

All told, Narine lashed 13 fours and half-dozen sixes, reaching his 50 off 29 deliveries before completing three figures off another 20 balls, when he clobbered the final delivery of the 16th over from leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal to the mid-wicket boundary.

Facing a stiff asking rate of 11.2 runs per over, Royals found themselves on 47 for two in the fifth over before Buttler anchored a 50-run, third-wicket stand with Riyan Parag (30) to stage a recovery.

The innings slumped, however, when four wickets collapsed for 24 runs, West Indies left-hander Shimron Hetmyer among the casualties when he perished for a first-ball duck.

Tottering on 121 for six in the 13th over and staring at a new required run rate of 14.14, Royals were lifted by Buttler again, this time in a crucial 67-run, seventh-wicket stand with West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell, whose 26 came from 13 balls and included a four and three sixes.

When Powell fell in the 17th over and Trent Boult followed for a first-ball duck in the next over, Buttler saw his side over the line in an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership of 38 with Avesh Khan (0).