Kolkata Knight Riders’ Andre Russell once again proved his worth at the Eden Gardens on Saturday, leading his team to a thrilling four-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite losing four wickets early on, Russell’s explosive 25-ball 64, featuring seven sixes and three fours, propelled KKR to a formidable total of 208 for seven.
Russell’s teammate Phil Salt, who witnessed his power-hitting firsthand in The Hundred, expressed his admiration. “He’s a phenomenal ball striker, the best in the world on his day,” Salt said. “To see him do what he did is incredible.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Daniel Vettori acknowledged Russell’s impact, stating, “He takes the game away with his power and skill. At Eden, it’s very tricky to challenge him.”
However, it was young Ramandeep Singh who laid the foundation for Russell’s heroics. The 26-year-old’s 35 runs off 17 balls, including a 54-run partnership with Salt, steadied the KKR innings.
“Ramandeep’s innings set up the platform for Russell,” Vettori said. “He put the pressure back on us.”
Salt also praised Ramandeep’s contribution, saying, “He took the pressure off me and allowed me to play my game.”
Despite KKR’s strong start, Heinrich Klaasen’s counter-attacking fifty threatened to turn the tide. However, pacer Harshit Rana’s two wickets in the final over, defending 12 runs, sealed the victory for KKR.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer admitted to feeling nervous during the last over. “I had butterflies in my stomach,” he said. “But I had belief in Harshit. This was his moment to become a hero.”
Rana’s performance earned him a fine of 60% of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct.
