Russell shines but fails to prevent KKR defeat

Andre Russell

KOLKATA, India,  CMC – West Indies star Andre Russell kept up his impressive form

Keemo Paul

with the bat but it was not enough to save Kolkata Knight Riders from defeat, as they went down by seven wickets to Delhi Capitals here yesterday.

Defending 179 at home at Eden Gardens, KKR came up short with seven balls remaining, to suffer their third defeat of the Indian Premier League.

Asked to bat first, the hosts rattled up 178 for seven off their 20 overs with opener Shubman Gill top-scoring with 65 off 39 balls and Russell blasting 45 off 21 deliveries, batting at number five. Joe Denly fell to the first ball of the contest but Gill and Robin Uthappa (28) put on 63 for the second wicket to revive the innings.

Uthappa’s dismissal in the ninth over triggered a slide that saw KKR lose four wickets for 59 runs but Russell, as he has done all season, arrived to lift the innings by belting three fours and four sixes.

Carlos Braithwaite

Crucially, he added 39 for the sixth wicket with West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite (6), which gave KKR runs precious runs at the end.

Brathwaite, in his first game of the season, faced seven balls before holing out to deep mid-wicket in the final over off Windies teammate Keemo Paul, who finished with two for 46 from his four overs of pace.

Paul also accounted for Gill after the 19-year-old had struck seven fours and two sixes, caught at short fine leg in the 15th over.

In reply, India opener Shikhar Dhawan narrowly missed out on a hundred when he finished on 97 not out as Delhi easily overhauled their target to go fourth in the standings on eight points.

The left-hander faced 63 balls and counted 11 fours and two sixes, posting 105 for the third wicket with Rishabh Pant who made 46 from 31 balls, with four fours and two sixes.

Russell claimed one for 29 from his three overs while fellow seamer Brathwaite sent down one over which cost 13 runs.