Narine likely to return for KKR’s upcoming clash against Mumbai Indians

Sunil Narine, who missed Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) previous IPL 2025 match due to illness, has returned to training and is expected to be available for selection for their upcoming fixture against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Monday evening at the Wankhede Stadium.

It is understood that Narine reported unwell on the morning of KKR’s last game — a victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati — prompting the team to draft Moeen Ali into the XI.

"I've been practising well, and I just try to be ready all the time," Moeen said after making his unexpected season debut. "I got told this morning that Sunny [Narine] was not well and to just be ready whenever. Obviously, hard to replace Sunny but I felt like I did a nice job of it.

"You're just waiting for your turn and when the chance comes, you try and take it as much as you can. On some wickets like today, I probably used my experience to keep things simple — kept the stumps in play, bowled a straighter line to the left-handers, and tried to spin the ball."

While Narine required medical attention, he returned to the team hotel later that evening and was present for KKR’s post-match celebrations.

Moeen impressed with the ball, dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana to return figures of 2 for 23 in four overs. However, filling in for Narine as an opener, he struggled with the bat, managing only 5 runs off 12 balls. If Narine is fit, Moeen may be the one to make way.

A KKR stalwart since 2012, Narine was one of the standout performers in their season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Kolkata. After a slow start with the bat, he powered to 44 off 26 balls and followed it up with a tidy spell of 1 for 27, though KKR ultimately lost by seven wickets.

Catch the match live updates, highlights, and full match coverage on CricRadio. Get fast, accurate, and ad-free updates throughout the game. Download the CricRadio app from the Play Store to stay connected. You can also get the live scores of cricket series directly on the CricRadio website for real-time coverage.