IPL 2025: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star all-rounder Sunil Narine has once again proved why he is one of the most valuable players in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In a match against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Narine created history by becoming the leading wicket-taker against a single opponent in IPL history.
A Record to Remember
Narine picked up 2 wickets for just 14 runs in 3 overs during KKR’s recent game against Punjab Kings. With this performance, he took his total wicket count against Punjab Kings to 36, surpassing Umesh Yadav’s 35 wickets against the same team.
Here’s a look at the top wicket-takers against a single opponent in IPL:
- Sunil Narine vs PBKS – 36 wickets
- Umesh Yadav vs PBKS – 35 wickets
- Dwayne Bravo vs MI – 33 wickets
- Mohit Sharma vs MI – 33 wickets
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs KKR – 32 wickets
- Yuzvendra Chahal vs PBKS – 32 wickets
Narine’s consistency against Punjab is unmatched. His best-ever IPL figures, and his only IPL hat-trick, also came against them.
Also Among All-Time IPL Greats
Sunil Narine’s recent wickets also moved him up on the list of highest wicket-takers in overall IPL history. He now shares the third spot with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, both having 187 wickets.
- Yuzvendra Chahal – 207 wickets
- Piyush Chawla – 192 wickets
- Sunil Narine – 187 wickets (all for KKR)
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 187 wickets
Narine is the only player among the top four to take all his IPL wickets for a single franchise – Kolkata Knight Riders.
Match Summary: PBKS vs KKR
Punjab Kings, led by captain Shreyas Iyer, won the toss and chose to bat first. They started strong at 39/0 in just 3.1 overs, but KKR quickly turned the match around. Harshit Rana’s twin wickets shifted the momentum, bringing Punjab down to 42/3.
- Rana and Ramandeep Singh created history by combining for three dismissals, a new IPL record for a bowler-fielder pair.
- Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy tore through Punjab’s middle order. Chakaravarthy took 2 wickets for 21 runs, including dismissals of Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell with a clever googly.
Punjab could only manage 111 runs, marking the second time in four days that KKR restricted an opponent below 120. Earlier, they had kept CSK to just 103/9 in Chennai on April 11.
A Legend for the Knights
At 36 years old, Sunil Narine continues to shine as a match-winner for KKR. With his all-round abilities and smart bowling, he remains a key asset in the team’s hunt for another IPL title.
As IPL 2025 unfolds, Narine’s name is being etched deeper into the tournament’s history books — not just as a spinner, but as a record-breaker and true IPL legend.
