IPL 2019: Fan of Avengers, Andre Russell happy to be a superhero for KKR
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Andre Russell is the one man who has rescued the embattled Kolkata Knight Riders at every scenario in the ongoing 12th season of the Indian Premier League.
The big muscle man from Jamaica has largely been a one-man tornado for the Kolkata-based franchise, pulling the team home in the most unlikely situations.
With 486 runs in 12 matches, Russell has been the top performer for Kolkata Knight Riders this season. Russell has maintained a healthy average of 69.43 and a staggering strike-rate of 207.69.
Russell is also the second man in IPL history to hit 50 sixes in a single season.
On Sunday night, Russell once again had a job at hand. And he finished it with ease.
With the burden of six consecutive defeats on their back, facing an opponent whom they haven't defeated in more than four years made the task look improbable for Kolkata.
This is when Russell came into play.
Put in to bat, Russell led KKR's hopes with an explosive knock. He slammed an unbeaten 40-ball 80 to power Kolkata to the season's highest total - 232 after half-centuries by Shubman Gill (76) and Chris Lynn (54).
The massive total upped the morale of the camp and they managed to restrict Mumbai Indians to 198/7 in 20 overs despite Hardik Pandya's fireworks.
The 34-run win keeps KKR alive in the tournament as they now have 10 points from 12 matches.
Russell's out-of-the-ordinary performances have forced the fans to label him as a superhero. And the man too has no qualms.
"Yes, I am a fan of (Avengers), I am watching it for a while. If the fans say that I am a (superhero) I am happy," Russell, who was awarded the Man of the Match, said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Russell also tried to throw some sense into his unbelievable batting prowess.
"Hand-eye co-ordination, good bat speed, and balance are important. I generate a lot of power from the shoulders and core. Everything works together. You need to make sure your body is fit and strong in order to play those upward shots in those moments," he said.
"We have given ourselves a chance. Hopefully, the result in the next two games goes our way. One of my best T20 days, definitely. We needed to get 200-plus but getting 230 was just enough. If it was just over 200 we would have been on the losing end. We kept our heads calm under pressure and executed our plans well," he added.
