Russell plays cameo in KKR win
MUMBAI, India (CMC) – The out-of-favour West Indies duo of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine played supporting roles, but helped lift Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a crucial five-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad in yet another last-over thriller in the Indian Premier League on Thursday in Hyderabad.
Russell scored 24 from 15 balls, and Narine made only one, but impactful knocks of 42 off 31 balls from Nitish Rana and 46 off 35 balls from Rinku Singh helped KKR recover from an early stutter and post a competitive 171 for nine from their allocation of 20 overs after they decided to bat in the match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
In the field, Russell pouched a fine catch to dismiss Abishek Sharma for nine off India international Shardul Thakur in the fourth over to sink Sunrisers to 37 for two.
Two overs later, he grabbed the scalp of Rahul Tripathi caught at deep fine line for 20 and finished with one for 15 from his only over.
Narine made less of an impact, conceding 16 from two wicketless overs, and KKR needed disciplined bowling in the slog overs to clinch a thrilling win with leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy defending nine off the last over.
KKR displayed nerves of steel under pressure to clinch their fourth win in 10 matches for eight points and handed Sunrisers their sixth loss from nine matches to leave them stuck on six points.
It was a brilliant comeback for KKR after Sunrisers captain Aiden Markram hit 41 off 40 balls, and fellow South Africa international Heinrich Klaasen made 36 off 20 to put the visitors in the ascendency during the chase with a stand of 70 for the fifth wicket.
They along with fellow South Africa international Marco Jansen fell for the addition of 28 in the span of 25 balls, and Sunrisers needed 20 from the last 11 balls, but KKR produced a brilliant comeback to win the match.