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Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) stalwart Sunil Narine scripted history the moment he was named in the starting XI for the team’s IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium on May 3. Stepping onto the field at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the veteran spinner reached a monumental career milestone.
Sunil Narine bags sensational T20 feat
At 37 years old, the West Indian spin wizard is now officially playing in his 591st T20 match, an achievement that highlights his incredible longevity across global leagues. This feat sees him surpass fellow countryman Andre Russell on the all-time list of appearances in men's T20 cricket. Narine now trails only Kieron Pollard, who remains the undisputed leader for the most games played in the history of the format.
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Most appearances in Men's T20s:
735 - Kieron Pollard
591 - Sunil Narine*
590 - Andre Russell
582 - Dwayne Bravo
565 - David Miller
Not just this, Narine also joined the elite 200-wicket club in the IPL, becoming only the third bowler in the league's history to reach this milestone. The achievement is particularly significant as Narine is the first player to ever take 200 wickets for a single franchise, further cementing his legacy as a one-club legend. Additionally, he now holds the distinction of being the first overseas bowler to cross this impressive threshold.
Narine shone bright with the ball, finishing with clinical figures of 2/31. His performance was instrumental in dismantling the SRH lineup, effectively bowling them out for a total of 165.
Since his debut in 2012, Narine has remained the undisputed cornerstone of the Kolkata Knight Riders' bowling unit. Renowned for his exceptional control and suffocating economy rates, he has consistently provided crucial breakthroughs in every phase of the game. His storied career with the franchise is decorated with success, having played a pivotal role in KKR’s championship victories in 2012, 2014, and 2024.
Kolkata Knight Riders Playing XI:
Ajinkya Rahane(c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy
Kolkata Knight Riders Impact subs: Finn Allen, Ramandeep Singh, Tejasvi Dahiya
Sunrisers Hyderabad Playing XI:
Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora(w), Aniket Verma, Smaran Ravichandran, Pat Cummins(c), Shivang Kumar, Harshal Patel, Eshan Malinga
Sunrisers Hyderabad Impact subs: Praful Hinge, Harsh Dubey, Liam Livingstone, Sakib Hussain, Zeeshan Ansari
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