Andre Russell scored a match-winning All round performance against SunRisers Hyderabad to give Kolkata Knight Riders a crucial win.
Russell has been in brilliant form for Kolkata Knight Riders as All-rounder has crossed 2,000 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Saturday. but KKR have struggled to find the rhythm they would have liked.
However, Russell’s player of the match performance on Saturday (may 14) against Sunrisers Hyderabad has kept KKR still in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs.
During the match, he played a solid unbeaten knock of 49* in 28 balls, which included 3 fours and 4 sixes.
Russell has been having a solid IPL season so far, scoring 330 runs in 11 innings at an average of 41.25. His individual best score is 70*.
He has scored one half-century in the tournament so far.
With the ball too he has picked up 17 wickets this season, the most for him in a single edition of the tournament.
In the post-match presentation, Russell said, how he prepares his body for tough situations as one has to be tough as per situation to stay longer in the game.
“When I went out to bat, when they were bowling into the wicket, it was a bit difficult. Our bowling attack pulled them back tonight. The mindset is very clear, I practice to go and do that from ball one. The first ball in the nets, I hit for sixes. I get my body ready for any situation, sometimes it might be tough. You have to tough it out at times and stay till the back end, happy tonight,” said Russell after the match.
Russell also went on to reveal a funny conversation with Sunil Narine just before the 20th over took off.
“Before the last ball of the 19th over was bowled, I said, ‘Sunil, try and get a boundary, but let me start the over with the spinner.’ Off-spinner to a right-hander, it’s like a kid in the candy shop. I got full tosses and I put it away. Hard work paid off today. Good to contribute in both aspects tonight. I’m just going to keep it going, hopefully, we can qualify,” he added.