Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) became the first team to qualify for the playoffs in the 2024 edition of the IPL following an 18-run win against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Saturday, May 11 in their final home game at the Eden Gardens. While Varun Chakravarthy was adjudged the player of the match, the likes of Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell also contributed with the ball. On that rare day when the opening pair of Narine and Phil Salt was dismissed within seven balls, the middle order and the bowlers put their hand up and KKR now await three other teams in the playoffs.
Narine, who has had a memorable season for the Knight Riders thus far, joined an elite list of players in the IPL to have an extraordinary single all-round campaign for a player. Narine, who was dismissed for a duck against MI by Jasprit Bumrah has 461 runs to his name in the season and took his 15th wicket in the form of Ishan Kishan on Saturday. Narine is only the third player after Shane Watson (Rajasthan Royals) and Jacques Kallis (KKR) to score 400 runs and take 15 wickets in an IPL season.
Players to score 400 runs and take 15 wickets in an IPL season
Shane Watson - 472 runs in 15 matches (47.2 ave, 151.7 SR), 17 wickets (7.07 econ) for RR
Jacques Kallis - 409 runs in 17 matches (25.5 ave, 106.5 SR), 15 wickets (7.46 econ) for KKR
Sunil Narine - 461 runs in 12 matches (38.4 ave, 182.9 SR), 15 wickets (6.64 econ) for KKR*
The Royals won the title in the inaugural edition while KKR went all the way in 2012 with both teams beating the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final. Thus, on the only two previous occasions when a player scored 400 runs and took 15 wickets or more in a season, his team went on to win the trophy. Can Narine do it for KKR what Kallis did 12 years ago? There's a very high chance.
One more win will confirm a top two finish for KKR given their only competitor is Rajasthan Royals, who they will lock horns in their final league stage game in Guwahati.
