Andre Russell, the Kolkata Knight Riders‘ (KKR) bowling hero in their dramatic 1-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), reiterated his unwavering faith in his bowling abilities. Russell’s all-around performance on Sunday, April 21st, proved instrumental in securing the win for KKR.
Russell Delivers with the Ball When Needed Most
While his knock of 27 runs off 20 balls was valuable, it was his bowling that truly turned the tide of the match. Introduced into the attack at a critical juncture when RCB batsmen Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar were threatening to take the game away, Russell responded magnificently. He dismissed both batsmen in his very first over, halting RCB’s momentum. Â
Russell wasn’t done yet; he picked up another crucial wicket, dismissing Dinesh Karthik in the 19th over, solidifying KKR’s grip on the match. While Karn Sharma’s late flurry caused some anxious moments, KKR held their nerve to secure a narrow victory.
Russell Explains His Bowling Strategy
Following his well-deserved Player of the Match award, Russell spoke about his mindset. “Thanks to the almighty,” he began. “I always back my bowling as I said earlier. Getting the ball at a crucial time, I knew that I had to come good and thankfully it happened today. Happy for the two points,” he stated.
He elaborated on his bowling approach, highlighting the effectiveness of his slower deliveries, “When I was batting earlier, change of pace was difficult to hit. As a bowler that’s what I wanted to do. The slower balls were gripping and holding. Was happy to get the two set batters out and I think that’s what changed the game.”
Russell Praises Narine’s Contribution and Explains Tactics Against Karthik
Russell acknowledged the significance of Sunil Narine‘s two wickets in the final over, wickets that triggered RCB’s batting collapse. He also explained his approach to bowling the crucial 19th over, stating, “Those two wickets from Narine were also very important and that’s what started the slide for RCB. When I look at the bowling equation, I had two left and I conditioned myself to bowl that (19th) over. Tried to give Starc as many runs as I could.” Â
Needing to prevent Dinesh Karthik from giving the strike to Karn Sharma, Russell revealed his strategy, “DK wasn’t getting off strike so I looked at bowling 6 deliveries to him and mix it up, thankfully it worked.”
KKR Look Ahead to Next Challenge
With this thrilling victory, KKR solidifies their position in the IPL 2024 standings. Andre Russell’s all-round brilliance, his unwavering belief in his bowling capabilities, and his strategic approach were key factors in securing the win. KKR and Russell now set their sights on their next challenge, a match against PBKS on Friday, April 26th.
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