HYDERABAD, India (CMC) — Off-spinner Sunil Narine carried his tournament tally of wickets to 11 as Kolkata Knight Riders finished their group phase of the Champions League Twenty20 unbeaten, with an easy 36-run win over Dolphins yesterday.
The Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies player was again instrumental, taking three for 33 from his complement of four overs as Dophins were held to 151 for eight, in pursuit of 188 for victory at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
The victory was the 13th consecutive for KKR in all competitions and a record for an Indian T20 side.
Opting to bat first, KKR were floundering at 34 for two in the fifth over when opener Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey arrived to hammer unbeaten half-centuries in an unbroken third wicket stand of 153.
Uthappa scored 85 off 55 balls with 13 fours while Pandey carved out an aggressive 76 off 47 deliveries, with five fours and five sixes.
In reply, Dolphins slumped to 57 for four in the ninth over before Andile Phehlukwayo, with 37 off 18 balls and Khaya Zondo, with 32 from 25, counter-attacked in an a fifth wicket partnership of 63 which gave their side hope.
However, KKR summoned their trump card Narine and he removed both in quick time to arrest the run-spree. He bowled Phehlukwayo in the 15th over with a straight one as the batsman attacked and claimed Zondo to a catch in the deep in the 17th — one of two wickets in successive deliveries.
Undermined by Narine’s spell, Dolphins slumped to 138 for eight in the 18th without hope of recovery.
KKR have already qualified for the semi-finals.