Sensational Russell keeps KKR in playoff hunt
PUNE, India, CMC –
Andre Russell produced another sensational performance yesterday to surpass 300 runs and move within touching distance of 20 wickets, as Kolkata Knight Riders brushed aside Sunrisers Hyderabad by 54 runs to keep alive their hopes of a spot in the Indian Premier League playoffs.
The 34-year-old West Indies all-rounder struck a responsible unbeaten 49 off 28 deliveries as KKR rallied from 94 for five in the 12th over to post a competitive 177 for six off their 20 overs at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium here yesterday.
Sunrisers were then held to 122 for eight with Russell snatching three for 24 from four outstanding overs of medium fast.
Opener Abhishek Sharma top-scored with 43 from 28 balls and South African Aiden Markram chipped in with 32 from 25 balls but newly appointed West Indies white-ball captain Nicholas Pooran failed when he was dismissed by fellow Trinidadian Sunil Narine for two.
The win moved KKR into sixth spot with 12 points, level with Delhi Capitals in fifth and two adrift of Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore – third and fourth respectively – with one game left in the preliminaries.
For Sunrisers, the defeat was their seventh and fifth straight, leaving them third from bottom on ten points with two games remaining and further damaging their hopes of a playoff spot.
Choosing to bat first, KKR got a second wicket stand of 48 from Ajinkya Rahane (28) and Nitish Rana (26) but then lost four wickets for 29 runs as 22-year-old seamer Umran Malik (3-33) wrecked the top order.
Arriving at seven, Russell struck three fours and four sixes while adding a precious 63 for the sixth wicket with Englishman Sam Billings who made 34 from 29
balls.
Three of Russell’s sixes came in the final over sent down by off-spinner Washington Sundar as KKR gathered 20 runs.
In reply, Abhishek belted four fours and two sixes but his opening stand with captain Kane Williamson (9) was a slow one, producing only 30 from 32 deliveries and putting a drag on the run chase.
Russell ended the partnership by bowling Williamson in the sixth over with just his second ball and then returned at the back end to remove Washington Sundar (4) and Marco Jansen (1) in the 18th over – the third of his spell.