Watch: Andre Russell almost ran two runs by himself and fell short of his crease in the end at a crucial juncture during Kolkata Knight Riders’ clash with Mumbai Indians on Friday (May 3).
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KKR, who have an abysmal head-to-head record against Mumbai Indians, winning just nine games of the 34 they contested, began on a disappointing note after they were sent in to bat first. Kolkata were reduced to 28-3 in the first three overs, which soon became 57-5 but an 83-run stand between Impact Player Manish Pandey and Venkatesh Iyer brought them back in the game.
Pandey was dismissed for a 31-ball 42 as Russell, picked in the T20 World Cup squad earlier today, walked out. KKR were going at 8.64 runs an over then and needed Russell to strike a few big blows, which is exactly what he proceeded to do as he hit Hardik Pandya for a first-ball six.
It was a disaster for KKR thereafter: Three balls later, Hardik bowled a fuller delivery outside the leg-stump to Venkatesh, who had scored his fifty by then, and played it away to short third. The batter was caught ball-watching even as Russell ran down to the striker’s end. Venkatesh sent him back but he was unable to reach safely in the end. Despite a wide throw from Nuwan Thusara, Hardik collected it and broke the stumps to send back the danger man.
KKR could not recover and managed to score only 16 runs in the last three overs and were eventually bowled out for 169. Venkatesh hit a six and a four following Russell’s dismissal but was eventually out for 70 in 52.
