Best birthday gift: MVP Sunil Narine talks about incredible season after KKR’s win

IPL 2024 Most Valuable Player Of The Season Sunil Narine said that the title win for KKR on the day was the best birthday he could get as they beat SRH in Chennai on Sunday, May 26. Narine celebrated his 36th birthday on Sunday as KKR trounced SRH by 8 wickets after bundling them out for just 113 runs.

Narine was adjudged as the MVP of the season as he claimed 17 wickets and scored 488 runs to help KKR win the title. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Narine said that coming back to Chepauk it felt like the 2012 and it was overwhelming for him. The West Indian all-rounder said that he is enjoying his cricket at the moment.

“Coming into the ground today, it felt like 2012. The feeling is overwhelming and I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday gift. I am enjoying my cricket at the moment – batting, bowling and fielding. What helps is when the team is winning,” said Narine.

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Support from Gambhir was very good

Speaking about his batting, which saw Narine score a hundred and 3 fifties, the West Indian star said that his role was to go out on the ground and express himself. He also said that the support from mentor Gautam Gambhir was very good for him.

Getting the role to just go out there and express myself, getting team off to a flyer, the support from GG – that was very good. Salty played an incredible season. We missed him but Gurbaz came in and filled the role. Once you have an opening partner with the same intent, it’s good for the team.

Narine also said that the bowling unit’s performance was key for them as they won the title in the end.

“We always pick early wickets, when we come to bowl, we bowl with less pressure. As a total bowling unit, picking up wickets is key and it helped us win the title,” said Narine.

This was Narine’s third IPL title with the KKR side and the third time he finished with the MVP award as well.