Narine delighted with match-winning performance and run-out for KKR
Sunil Narine was Man of the Match for Kolkata Knight Riders in their 14-run victory over Delhi Capitals on Tuesday.
Kolkata Knight Riders' Man of the Match Sunil Narine was the most excited person in the stadium after dispatching KL Rahul with a run-out in their victory over Delhi Capitals on Tuesday.
For a player who has spent much of his career showing little emotion, even he could not hide his feelings after a direct hit to dismiss Rahul for seven runs in the seventh over.
"I'm obviously not the greatest fielder," Narine said during the post-match presentation, as quoted by ESPN cricinfo.
"But it's always good to give a good run-out whenever it's possible. Just pick up and swing, and throw the ball as hard as possible.
"I always want to be able to give the captain an option, and that comes with hard work. If you want to be that kind of player, you have to put in hard work."
Alongside that run-out, Narine took another three wickets in the match to take his total to 10 for the 2025 Indian Premier League season – just seven shy of his total for the entire 2024 campaign.
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— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 29, 2025
Sunil Narine - Our BKT commander of the match.#AmiKKR | #TATAIPL2025 | #DCvKKR | #ZiddKiNayiHadd pic.twitter.com/3IpXMeJLGs
His contribution to the team is not something that has gone unnoticed by captain Ajinka Rahane.
"He's been a champion bowler for this franchise," he said.
"It's so good to have him and Varun [Chakravarthy] in the team: I can always go back to them whenever we are in trouble… He's been working really hard, coming early for the practice sessions, bowling for hours and hours in the nets."
Team-mate Andre Russell, meanwhile, warned people not to judge Narine by his cover, suggesting that he is not as laid back as one might think.
"He's very active when he's on the field," said Russell.
"A lot of guys maybe misjudge him. He's a quiet individual when he is in a certain environment, where he's not comfortable. But on the park, he's a leader.
"He's been more talkative over the last five years, and it just goes to show that when you express yourself, you enjoy the game and your performance shows as well."