IPL 2024: Narine smashes 85 off 39 as Knight Riders crush Capitals by 106 runs

Kolkata Knight Riders hit 272-7, the second-highest total in Indian Premier League history, as they thrashed Delhi Capitals by 106 runs.

Sunil Narine led the way by blitzing 85 off 39 balls, while teenage debutant Angkrish Raghuvanshi added 54.

Andre Russell and Rinku Singh also made big-hitting contributions as Kolkata finished just five short of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s IPL record total.

Rishabh Pant top-scored with 55 for Delhi who fell to a thumping loss.

Kolkata’s huge total came just a week after Hyderabad posted a record 277-3, breaking the previous IPL best of 263-5 set by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013.

Kolkata, who were crowned IPL champions in 2012 and 2014, have won all three matches in the new season and top the 10-team table.

Opener Narine laid the platform for victory on Wednesday with a blistering start, bludgeoning seven fours and seven sixes to reach the highest T20 score of his career in his 501st match.

The 35-year-old cracked 26 runs off one Ishant Sharma over to bring up his half-century in 21 balls, while putting on 104 runs with 18-year-old Raghuvanshi.

Russell smashed 41 off 19 balls with Singh adding an eight-ball 26, while Vaibhav Arora took 3-27 in Delhi’s reply. (BBC Sport)