It is not easy to play a finisher role in T20 cricket as one has to hit the ground running on most occasions. The batter neither gets any time to get settled nor the opportunity to face a couple of balls to get his eye in.
However, Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell has been performing the same role with some success in the Indian Premier League.
Russell joined forces with Sam Billings at 94-5 after 11.3 overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Maharastra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Saturday and he did what he does best. The right-hander went on to smash 49 runs off just 28 balls to propel his team to 177 runs with the help of three fours and four sixes. With this knock, Russell also completed 2000 runs in the IPL.
Russell scored three sixes in the final over against Washington Sundar and believed he felt like a kid in a candy store when the off-spinner was given the last over. The all-rounder also revealed his preparation regime and said he tries to hit the first few balls in the nets for maximums.
Furthermore, Russell returned with impressive figures of 3-22 in his quota of four overs and accounted for Kane Williamson, Marco Jansen, and Washington Sundar. Ergo, Russell came up with an all-around performance to deliver the goods for KKR.
He said after he was awarded the Player of the Match, “When I went out to bat, when they were bowling into the wicket, it was a bit difficult. Our bowling attack pulled them back tonight. The mindset is very clear, I practice to go and do that from ball one. The first ball in the nets, I hit for sixes. I get my body ready for any situation, sometimes it might be tough. You have to tough it out at times and stay till the back end, happy tonight. Before the last ball of the 19th over was bowled, I said, “Sunil, try and get a boundary, but let me start the over with the spinner.” Offspinner to a right-hander, it’s like a kid in the candy shop. I got full tosses and I put it away. Hard work paid off today. Good to contribute in both aspects tonight. I’m just going to keep it going, hopefully, we can qualify.”
On the other hand, Tim Southee continued his good form as he scalped two wickets and conceded only 23 runs in his quota of four overs. Southee took a fine caught and bowled to dismiss Rahul Tripathi.
The New Zealander said after the game, “A great win. Every game is a must-win for us, so when you win by such a big margin it is really pleasing.
I have been around long enough to know that your chances come and go as in this tournament you got quality overseas players sitting on the sidelines so I was just trying to be ready when the opportunity comes and when you do, have a little bit of luck and try and make the most of it.
It is tough to replicate match situations in the nets, but if you can try and give it close-to-match situations, that gives you the best chance. Back yourself and I have been here for a number of years and been in and out of many sides over the years and guess that helps as well.
We played here a couple of games ago and it was a similar sort of surface and we knew back of a length was tough to hit and stuck to our plans. Obviously two-class spinners and the way Narine was able to bounce back after his first couple of overs and everyone else around him as well.”
KKR will next face Lucknow Super Giants at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai on Wednesday.
