Man-of-the-Match Russell punishes Punjab in KKR win

KOLKATA, India (CMC):

Andre Russell lashed a Man-of-the-Match cameo to propel under-pressure Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a last-ball win over Punjab Kings here yesterday and climb to fifth in a clustered Indian Premier League standings.

Entering the contest at Eden Gardens with six defeats in 10 matches, KKR chased down a tricky 180 to get home by five wickets, with Russell scoring 42 from 23 balls batting at number five.

The West Indies all-rounder plundered three fours and three sixes but perished to the penultimate delivery of the match when he was run out at the non-striker’s end attempting a sharp single with Rinku Singh.

With two runs needed from the final ball, the 25-year-old Rinku belted a high full toss from left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh behind square for four to trigger the KKR celebrations.

“There was a little chaos on the back end there with me getting run out wanting to finish the job,” Russell said. “But we have a finisher in Rinku, and I was very proud of him.”

Captain Nitish Rana top-scored with 51 from 38 balls while English opener Jason Roy struck 38 from 24 balls, Rinku ending on a 10-ball unbeaten 21.

Punjab Kings had earlier got 57 from captain Shikhar Dhawan as they reached 179 for seven from their 20 overs after opting to bat first.

The left-handed opener struck nine fours and a six, helping to inspire a 53-run fourth-wicket stand with Jitesh Sharma (21), which pulled his side around from 53 for three in the sixth over.

Three wickets for 20 runs

Dhawan was eventually fifth out in a slide that saw three wickets tumble for 20 runs, but Shahrukh Khan (21 not out) and Harpreet Brar (17 not out) added a vital 40 off just 16 deliveries in an unbroken eighth-wicket stand.

Russell’s solitary over cost 19 runs while West Indies counterpart Sunil Narine also went wicket-less in a four-over spell that leaked 29 runs.

In reply, Roy put on 38 for the first wicket with 21-year-old Afghan Rahmanullah Gurbaz (15) and a further 26 for the second with Nitish, who then put on 51 for the third wicket with Venkatesh Iyer (11) as KKR stitched together crucial partnerships.

When Venkatesh and Nitish fell in the space of 10 balls with only nine runs added at 124 for four in the 16th over, KKR found themselves wobbling, but Russell entered to dominate a 54-run stand with Rinku, which swung the chase in the hosts’ favour.

KKR are one of five teams in the standings on 10 points, just six points adrift of leaders Gujarat Titans.