KOLKATA, India, CMC – Andre Russell savaged Delhi Daredevils in a brief but brutal assault while West Indies teammate Sunil Narine provided his trademark brilliance, as Kolkata Knight Riders stormed to a 71-run victory in the Indian Premier League yesterday.
Sent in at Eden Gardens, KKR piled up 200 for nine off 20 overs, with Nitish Rana top-scoring with 59 from 35 balls and the right-handed Russell slamming an an audacious 12-ball 41.
Robin Uthappa weighed in with 35 while Australian opener Chris Lynn got 31, the pair putting on 55 for the second wicket after Narine fell cheaply for one in the third over, top-edging a short one from New Zealand pacer Trent Boult.
KKR lost wickets steadily, however, and were wandering at 117 for for four in the 14th over until Russell appeared.
The 29-year-old went on a rampage, clearing the ropes six times as he inspired a whirlwind 61-run, fifth wicket stand off just 22 balls with Rana.
Dropped on seven by Jason Roy off the third ball he had faced, Russell made Delhi pay for the missed chance, as he blasted three sixes in the same over from pacer Mohammed Shami which leaked 22 runs.
The Jamaican again got stuck into Shami in his next over, belting another three sixes as 20 runs gushed from the six deliveries.
He eventually fell in the 18th over when he lost his leg stump to a dipping yorker from Boult (2-29).
In reply, Delhi slumped to 24 for three and never really recovered despite a fourth wicket stand of 62 between Australian Glenn Maxwell (47) and Rishabh Pant (41).
Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav removed both batsmen in successive overs to finish with three for 32 before off-spinner Narine ran through the tail to finish with three for 18 from three overs.
KKR have won two in four outings to sit second in the standings behind unbeaten leaders Sunrisers Hyderabad.
