Andre Russell slammed 7 sixes in his 13-ball unbeaten 48 as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) chased down a mammoth 206 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to defeat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 5 wickets on Friday.
RCB have now lost all their 5 matches in the ongoing IPL while KKR raced away to their 3rd win in 4 matches.
KKR required 53 off the last 3 overs and 30 off the last 2 overs with 5 wickets in hand but Russell’s blistering knock left RCB shell-shocked in their home ground.
“I was confident when I went out to bat. DK was telling me to take a few balls to see how the pitch is behaving. I was watching in the dugout on TV and had a fair idea. When you need 68 off 20-odd balls, it doesn’t happen every day. Need to put your body on the line. The nature of T20 is such that one over can change the momentum. That’s why I never give up. A part of me was saying that the runs needed were too much but I wanted to fight and eventually, we won with five balls spare. The support is good from the boys and I am in a good space so that I can express myself. No ground is big enough for me I guess, I just trust my power. Hand-eye coordination is the key (for low full tosses) as they aren’t easy to hit. I try short arm jabs as extending the arms can put you in trouble. Can’t explain much, rather show that on the field,” said Russell during the post-match presentation ceremony.
Here’s how cricket fraternity, Bollywood stars and others reacted to Andre Russell’s game-changing knock:
And you guys in the Dugout who said game/set/& match……u may know your cricket but you don’t know @Russell12A !!! WOW u CHAMPION. This calls for Wine my MuscleMan!
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 5, 2019
Any asking rate is child’s play for Andre Russell . What a victory ! #RCBvsKKR
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 5, 2019
RUUUUUSSSSEEEEELLLLL @Russell12A Take a Bow 🙇♂️ @IPL @KKRiders vs @RCBTweets
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 5, 2019
@Russell12A takes X-Factor to the next level. Unbelievable. Game is never over with players like that in the lineup
— Albie Morkel (@albiemorkel) April 5, 2019
Oh praaavaa 😱😱 @Russell12A take a bow 🙇♂️ out of this world 👏🏼👏🏼 #KkrvsRcb #VIVOIPL2019
— Mandeep Singh (@mandeeps12) April 5, 2019
What a knockout performance by my favourite team tonight @KKRiders @iamsrk and #AndreRussel, you are a star. Total paisa vasool match. Well played @imVkohli and team @RCBTweets #IPL2019 #RCBvKKR
— GURMEET CHOUDHARY (@gurruchoudhary) April 5, 2019
Russell Muscle to much for RCB. 😱😱😱😱
— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) April 5, 2019
Whattttttt a wowwwwww!!!! #AndreRussell is the man to watch out in the @IPL @KKRiders this comeback in the last 4 overs was special. @iamsrk sir did you see that?????
— ANGAD BEDI (@Imangadbedi) April 5, 2019
ANDRE THE GIANT!!!!!! What a beast !!!!!! What am I seeing?!?! #AndreRussell #RCBvKKR 🤪🏏🦖
— Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) April 5, 2019
Muscle Russell the Six – fix does it again!!! What a knock! What power! #RCBvKKR
— Saiyami Kher (@SaiyamiKher) April 5, 2019
Dre Russell!!!! That is ridiculous!!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🔥🔥🔥 @IPL @KKRiders
— Ian Bell (@Ian_Bell) April 5, 2019
Terrible last four overs by RCB. Bowlers lost their nerve seeing Russell with bat in hand. Think they’ll be avoiding Kohli tonite
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 5, 2019
Hands full 🙌 🏆@Russell12A#RCBvKKR #KKRHaiTaiyaar #KorboLorboJeetbo #AndreRussell pic.twitter.com/T0vHzTMwO8
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 5, 2019
@Russell12A what a knock😱
— RAMESH POWAR (@imrameshpowar) April 5, 2019
@Russell12A 💪🏿💪🏿😃😃💪🏿💪🏿
— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) April 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/Bazmccullum/status/1114232869587640321
That was unreal from Andre Russell #RCBvKKR
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 5, 2019
Russell muscled the game away. Saying that, the bowling unit of #Rcb needs to dig deep & do some soul searching now. #RCBvKKR #AndreRussell #VIVOIPL
— Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) April 5, 2019
Did you forget about Dre? #RCBvKKR #VIVOIPL
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) April 5, 2019
#KorboLorboJeetbo re! Jeetbo re 💜#RCBvKKR #VIVOIPL #KKRHaiTaiyaar
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1114229156990947328
Dre Russ 💪💪💪🔥🔥🔥
Just how good are you! @KKRiders win by 5 wickets 👏#RCBvKKR #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/Bj8NFJEfA6
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 5, 2019
Andre Russell is just ridiculous!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) April 5, 2019
Omg what was this game about!! #RCBvsKKR !! Like seriously.. Russel !! Are you for real?? #IPLT20
— Geeta Basra (@Geeta_Basra) April 5, 2019
That’s ridiculous hitting by Dre Russ 😱😱😱😱😱
— Chris Morris (@Tipo_Morris) April 5, 2019
And that, my friends, is how a match is won! #RCBvKKR #KKRHaiTaiyaar @KKRiders
— Sanjana Ganesan (@SanjanaGanesan) April 5, 2019