28 March,2019 07:58 AM IST | Kolkata | Arup Chatterjee
KKR's Andre Russell en route his 17-ball 48 against KXIP in Kolkata yesterday. Pics/PTI, AFP
Andre Russell, whose breathtaking onslaught had taken Kolkata Knight Riders to an unlikely victory on Sunday, was at it again as the hosts tamed Kings XI Punjab by 28 runs at the Eden Gardens yesterday.
Having faltered after a flying start, the Knights were chugging to a challenging total before Russell burst onto the scene to help them finish on a daunting 218 for four. Kings XI managed 190-4 failing to get the start they needed from the ominous opening pair of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul.
KKR's Robin Uthappa celebrates his half-century against KXIP yesterday
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Russell scored a 17-ball 48 that had three fours and five sixes after being 'bowled' off a no-ball when on three. For good measure, he grabbed a couple of wickets, including that of the dangerous Chris Gayle.
Robin Uthappa top-scored for the Knights, remaining unbeaten on a 50-ball 67, while Nitish Rana made 63 off 34 with seven sixes and a couple of boundaries. The two put up 110 from 66 balls for the third wicket. For Kings XI, Mayank Agarwal's 58 off 34 and David Miller's 59 went in vain.
Despite Rana's powerful statement as an opener after Sunil Narine injury during Sunday's showdown, the West Indian was back in his pinch-hitting role at the top. He announced intent early by hoisting CV Varun over long-off and followed it up with two more sixes and a boundary as the IPL debutant conceded 25 runs in the second over of the innings.
Chris Lynn followed it up next over with a boundary over the off-side cordon in the next over but the two failed to make the most of the flying start, falling in successive overs to desperate shots that looked out of place in that situation. But Rana picked up from where he had left on Sunday, and with Uthappa quickly getting into a groove, the momentum didn't suffer.
The Knights were soon heading towards a total of around 180, vulnerable in the light of Kings XI's firepower at the top, before Russell rose in a manner that only he can. He should've been gone before he got going, Shami bowling the perfect yorker in the 17th over to hit the base of middle stump but the visitors had made the cardinal mistake of having a fielder less in the 30-yard circle. Instead of a crucial wicket, Shami had bowled a no-ball and conceded a free-hit.
Russell made Kings XI pay dearly, hitting Andrew Type for a couple of sixes and boundaries in the next over and then rubbing salt into wound by hoisting three sixes and a four in Shami's final over. The last three overs produced 55.
If the embers of Kings XI hopes glowed in the potential of their openers, the Knights doused it within the five overs by sending both back. Rahul, in prolific form last season, had another failure as he top-edged Lockie Ferguson in the second over while Gayle, who faced a fine over from the Kiwi pacer, left trying to force the pace against Russell. Gayle had already hit a couple of sixes and boundaries in his 13-ball 20 but it fell way short of what was needed on this day.
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