On an evening when KKR flirted with another stumble in their topsy-turvy campaign, Narine unleashed a performance that felt less like a cricket match and more like a rescue mission. With bat, ball, and brilliance in the field, he engineered a stunning 14-run win over Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium — a victory that didn’t just keep their playoff hopes alive, but jolted them back to life.
Defending a competitive but far-from-commanding 204, KKR looked on the verge of collapse as Faf du Plessis and Axar Patel powered DC’s chase with a 76-run partnership that had momentum, method, and menace. At 138 for 3 in the 14th over, the game was slipping. Then came the Narine storm.
During his second spell, Narine turned the contest on its head in the space of seven pulsating deliveries. He outfoxed the aggressive Axar, then dismantled Tristan Stubbs two balls later. When he returned to remove the well-set du Plessis — on 62 and seemingly in control — the stadium atmosphere shifted. In that moment, Narine didn’t just change the game; he seized it.
But the magic wasn’t just in the bowling.
With the bat, he ignited KKR’s innings with a blistering 27 off 12, powering their best opening stand of the season — 48 in just 17 balls with Rahmanullah Gurbaz. His one-handed six off Dushmantha Chameera wasn’t just audacious — it was swagger, distilled into leather and willow. Chameera’s over went for 25, and KKR had their launchpad.
KKR fans also experienced a moment that belonged to pure instinct: Narine, fielding at short fine leg, pounced on a chance and nailed KL Rahul with a bullet throw— a direct hit that cut short a crucial phase of Delhi’s rebuild. It was the kind of fielding that ignites belief in a team — and silences the crowd.
And when skipper Ajinkya Rahane walked off injured, it was Narine who assumed command. With the calm of a chess master, he set fields, rotated bowlers, and marshalled his troops.
While others contributed — Rahane’s fiery start, Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh’s calm middle-order rebuild, Russell’s death-over strikes — the fingerprints on this win were unmistakably Narine’s. Not even Vipraj Nigam’s late blitz could undo what Narine had already sealed. As Delhi collapsed to 190 for 9, the man who had touched every facet of the game stood tallest.
The plaudits poured in.
“After 13 overs, those two overs from Sunil — that was the game for us,” Rahane said. “He’s a champion bowler for this franchise. I always go back to him when we’re in trouble.”
Rahane also underlined Narine’s relentless commitment, “He’s in early for practice, bowls for hours, and keeps working on his batting. It’s that dedication that lifts the group.”
Birthday boy Andre Russell was equally effusive, “Bringing him back in the 14th over was crucial — he got the big wickets. That’s when we started believing.”
He also revealed a less-visible side of Narine, “A lot of people misjudge him, but on the park, he’s a leader. He’s become more vocal and engaged over the last five years. You can feel his energy now — it’s infectious.”
In a season where KKR have often stumbled with the bat, it’s been Narine — through his all-round excellence and silent authority — who has kept them steady. This win pulls them out of the bottom three and back into the playoff conversation.
Because here’s the truth: as long as Sunil Narine is in this kind of form — Kolkata Knight Riders aren’t just stayin’ alive. They’re coming for you.