Sunil Narine Faces Off Against His Biggest Fan in IPL Showdown
Exciting IPL Clash at Eden Gardens
In a thrilling IPL encounter, Sunil Narine will meet his biggest admirer, Digvesh Rathi, as the Kolkata Knight Riders take on the Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens this Tuesday afternoon.
Both teams enter the match with four points each, having secured two victories in their respective four games. Kolkata Knight Riders have experienced a rollercoaster season thus far. After suffering defeats against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians, KKR bounced back impressively with a dominant win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, showcasing a much-needed resurgence in their middle order.
Venkatesh Iyer, their most expensive acquisition, finally made a significant impact, while Rinku Singh and seasoned player Ajinkya Rahane also contributed crucial runs.
Young talent Angkrish Raghuvanshi has also impressed with his smooth technique and batting style.
However, the Knight Riders are still grappling with a struggling opening partnership.
The opening pair of Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine has failed to replicate the explosive starts provided by Phil Salt last season.
Their highest partnership this season stands at just 44 runs, with the openers managing scores of 4, 1, and 14 in their other matches.
Narine's inconsistent performance has raised concerns about his position at the top of the order, leading to speculation that Raghuvanshi might be promoted to open alongside de Kock.
The Battle of the Bowlers: Narine vs Rathi
KKR understands that Narine's value extends beyond just scoring runs. With both Narine and Rathi on opposing sides, it will be intriguing to see who shines brighter—the seasoned veteran or the promising newcomer.
Rathi, who gained recognition after a stellar performance in the Delhi Premier League, now finds himself competing against the player who inspired his cricketing aspirations.
"I fell in love with bowling after watching Sunil Narine," Rathi expressed after earning the Player of the Match title against MI. "I aim to remain composed like him, attack batters, and be fearless in critical moments." Rathi has combined elements from Imran Tahir's hairstyle, Narine's bowling style, and Kesrick Williams' notebook celebration, making him one of the standout stories of IPL 2025.
In his recent match against the Mumbai Indians, while other LSG bowlers struggled, Rathi excelled with figures of 4-0-21-1.
Over four matches, he has claimed six wickets with an impressive economy rate of 7.62, only exceeding eight runs per over once.
His ability to control length and employ clever variations has garnered praise from analysts and coaches.
Despite his impressive bowling, Rathi's on-field celebrations have sparked some controversy. He has faced fines twice—once for physical contact with PBKS batter Priyansh Arya and again for his 'notebook' celebration after the MI match.
Currently, he holds three demerit points, just one away from a one-match suspension.
Will Rathi take the risk of repeating his signature celebration in front of his idol Narine? Only time will tell.
Lucknow Super Giants' Recent Form
The Lucknow Super Giants enter this match on a high note, having recently secured a 12-run victory over the Mumbai Indians in Lucknow. Mitchell Marsh has been in excellent form at the top of the order, while Aiden Markram has also found his rhythm after a slow start, contributing a significant fifty against MI.
However, Rishabh Pant's ongoing struggles in the IPL have drawn criticism from fans and analysts alike.
Having been acquired for a record INR 27 crore, the pressure on the LSG captain is mounting, especially with team owner Sanjiv Goenka known for his passionate involvement in the sport.
Following a widely publicized 'schooling' session with KL Rahul last season, it remains uncertain how long Goenka's patience will last if Pant's poor performance continues.
Team Lineups
Teams (from):
Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane ©, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Moeen Ali, Rovman Powell, Mayank Markande, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Chetan Sakariya.
Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Abdul Samad, Akash Deep, Akash Singh, Avesh Khan, Ayush Badoni, Matthew Breetzke, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Himmat Singh, Shamar Joseph, Aryan Juyal, Arshin Kulkarni, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Nicholas Pooran, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Manimaran Siddharth, Shardul Thakur and Mayank Yadav.
Match starts: 3.30pm.