Sunil Narine's maiden T20 hundred in Kolkata on Tuesday not only made Shah Rukh Khan and the home fans stood up to applaud the West Indian but also got acknowledged by Rajasthan Royals pacer Trent Boult, who dismissed the West Indian in the 16th over of Match 31 of IPL 2024 at the Eden Gardens.
Boult castled Narine with a yorker and then shook hands with the KKR opener, who smashed 11 fours and 6 sixes during his 56-ball 109.
Narine became only the third KKR batter after Brendon McCullum and Vankatesh Iyer.
IPL hundreds for KKR
158* - Brendon McCullum vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2008
105* - Sunil Narine vs RR, Kolkata, 2024
104 - Venkatesh Iyer vs MI, Mumbai WS, 2023
Harsha Bhogle asked Narine if someone had told him at the start of IPL 2024 that he'd be in the running for orange cap, the 35-year-old replied in the negative.
"I'd have taken it as a joke because I hadn't opened in a long time. With GG (Gambhir) coming back, he gave me the confidence and assurance that I'll open. I want to give the team a good start in as many of the 14 innings.
"Job is just to give the team a good start and then keep going. We have an understanding that the pitch won't be easy to bowl on, we'll try to get early wickets in the powerplay and try to restrict them," Narine said at the mid-innings break after KKR posted 223 for 6 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first by Sanju Samson.
