IPL 2020 | Is it time for Kolkata Knight Riders to look beyond Sunil Narine the opener? - watsupptoday.com
IPL 2020 | Is it time for Kolkata Knight Riders to look beyond Sunil Narine the opener?
Posted 01 Oct 2020 11:23 AM

India tv

If you were thinking it was Kolkata Knight Riders all along to have unearthed the pinch-hitting side of Sunil Narine and ergo placing him at the top of the order in the batting lineup, you are wrong. Back in January 2017, Melbourne Renegades had left the crowd dumbstruck when Aaron Finch had walked in along with Narine. Until then, the highest position he ever batted at was No.5, four times in T20s. The move became so effective that KKR adopted it when Chris Lynn was ruled out of the 2017 IPL season with a freak shoulder injury in the second match. Narine scored 140 runs in 86 deliveries in that season at a run rate of 9.72 per over. And together with Lynn, the pair has been one of the most devastating opening combinations in IPL history, let alone T20. They scored 708 runs in the 26 times they have batted with the powerplay scoring rate being above 10.

What made Narine an effective opener was his ability to clear the inner ring during the powerplays, the phase when only two fielders can be stationed outside the 30-yard circle. Moreover, his hitting zone primarily centered around the long-on to long-off region. The word 'pinch-hitter' was used more often than ever since Narine's rise as a T20 opener. Narine's ability to give KKR an instant and a rock-solid start early in the game provided an opportunity for the No.3 and 4 to set up a big total before Andre Russell's entry at No.5. It seemed perfect for KKR.

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