Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell scripted history for the first time for 1000 IPL runs at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Russell, who has been a part of KKR since 2014, performed feats during the IPL 2025 encounter against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. There were two batsmen – Gautam Gambhir (1407) and Robin Uthappa (1159) – who achieved this feat before Russell, but West Indies International was the first overseas star to do so. Russell completed 2500 runs for KKR in the tournament during his unbeaten 25 -ball -57.
Russell again achieved his Mojo, which gave Kolkata Knight Riders to 4 for 4 in his IPL match against the Rajasthan Royals to deliver a 22 balls to a formidable 206 for 4.
The 37-year-old Jamaica, whose previous best this season, was a minor 21 against the Titans of Gujarat, began a nervousness to highlight his trademark power-touching, remained unbeaten for 57 off 25 balls (4×4, 6×6).
Riding on the late fireworks of Russell, KKR scored 85 runs in the last five overs.
He got outstanding support in the young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who played 44 out of 31 balls (5×4) as the pair scored 61 runs in 33 delivery for the fifth wicket.
Rinku Singh added the final flourish with a cameo – 19 not only out of six balls, including a four and two sixes – to close KKR’s late surge.
Russell was promoted to number 5 in the critical middle phase, but the spinners submerged KKR’s speed, with tightening the screws.
Mahesh Thekshana (1/41) bowled a great bowling in 14th place, giving just two runs and kept Russell calm.
Jamaica managed only 2 off its first 9 balls. Then Pesar came to the 16th over from Akash Madhwal and it changed the course of the game.
Russell made a hammer to the inexperienced Indian for 4, 6, and 4 and from there, the massacre began.
Stand-in skipper Ryan Parag brought back to Joffra Archer in the 17th over, but Russell now set well, sent it to long-on-on for a six and chased him with four.
In 18th, he went a ballistic against Theekshana, ruled KKR’s innings, breaking three consecutive sixes in 23 runs and pushed the run rate to close to 10.
Russell brought his first fifty of the season in style, tossed 148kphs from Archer at Square leg for a six, and chased it with a powerful bridge in the same area for a range.
Luck also favored Luck’s last ball, Parag dropped a direct opportunity.
To bat, KKR once again departed for 11 with Sunil Narrene.
The left -handed batsman never saw, playing, playing and missing before being cast from Yudhwir Singh from a clever slow delivery.
Archer was daring in his first two overs, scoring only five runs. But skipper Ajinkya Rahane (30) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (35) injected the speed during power play.
Rain, in fluent touch, began with a stylish flicked six on the midwick from Yudhavir.
He and Gurbaz pressed the stand of 56 runs in just 33 balls, taking the run-rate in nine overs.
However, KKR stumbled on a Taki pitch in the middle overs, where some balls stopped, as the paragas gave success by removing Raine.
Experienced right -handed batsman, to sweep a complete delivery, a faint tickle was caught behind.
(With PTI input)
Subjects mentioned in this article
