Win Projections to be updated soon
Andre Russell turns 32 today. On this day let us recall some interesting facts about this T20 legend who often works as a one-man army for his team.
1. Andre Russell is known for his hard-hitting batting style just like Jamaica’s other son Chris Gayle. Although he is treated as a batting all-rounder now, he began his career as a bowling all-rounder. In fact, he got his first chance to represent the West Indies as a bowling option.
2. In November 2010, a 22-year-old Andre Russell donned West Indies jersey first time to appear for a Test against Sri Lanka. He was chosen as a primary fast bowler and not an all-rounder. That was the only Test match that Russell played till date. In his only Test innings, Russell scored two runs off nine balls batting at no. 10. With the ball, he picked up the wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan in the first innings and that remains his only Test wicket.
3. Russell batted at number eighth and ninth position at the beginning of his ODI career as well. In his second match, he took four wickets for 49 runs and showed what he was able to do with the ball. A few months later he scored a 64-ball 92 and saved the Windies who were reeling at 96/7 against India. West Indies added just 129 runs and 75% of that was contributed by Russell who hit eight fours and five sixes. After five days later he took four wickets for 35 runs to beat India almost singlehandedly. These performances literally helped him announce himself as a batting giant.
4. On 21st September 2013, Russell became the first bowler in T20 to take four wickets in four successive deliveries. It was a List A T20 match was against India A and Russell took the wickets of Kedar Jadhav, Yuvraj Singh, Naman Ojha, and Yusuf Pathan. The flamboyant pacer accomplished this record at Bangalore in the 19th over of the India A innings.
5. Russell’s greatest all-round show in T20 leagues came in 2018 in the Caribbean Premier League. On his captaincy debut, Russell recorded a hat-trick against Knight Riders but the Riders still posted a massive 223 runs in their 20 overs. During the chase, Jamaica Tallawahs were reduced to 41/5 within their 7th over. The captain rose to the occasion and added 161 runs in next 11 overs with Kennar Lewis. He eventually finished it off with his 13th maximum of the innings of 121 from 49 balls. This is one of the greatest innings in any T20 leagues ever.
6. No wonder Andre Russell has become a household name for the T20 lovers all across the globe. He has played leagues in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Indies, Australia and helped his team win trophy at least once. He was also part of two T20 World Cup-winning teams – 2012 and 2016.
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