Titans win despite Russell’s all-round show

KKR’s Andre Russell during his 25-ball 48. Pic/BCCI; IPL

Andre Russell put up a sterling all-round display for Kolkata Knight Riders, but could not prevent Gujarat Titans from pulling off a thrilling eight-run victory in their IPL clash at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.

Chasing Titans' modest score of 156-9, built mainly on skipper Hardik Pandya's 67 in 49 balls, KKR recovered from a poor start of 16-3, but were stranded at 148-8.

Russell fell in the final over, with his team 12 short of victory, for a blistering 25-ball 48 laced with six huge sixes and one four.

KKR needed 18 runs off the final over and Russell was caught at deep backward square leg off fellow West Indian Alzarri Joseph's second ball.

Earlier, Russell had bowled a sensational last over, his only one, when he picked up four wickets for five runs, but all his efforts came to naught as KKR slumped to their fourth straight defeat and fifth from eight games.

KKR's run chase was also stymied by Rashid Khan who led the team when Pandya was sitting in the dug-out, after looking in trouble when taking a run while batting, and also picked up 2-22.

Mohammed Shami and Yash Dayal picked up a couple of wickets each while Joseph bowled a good final over in which he gave away just nine runs and also dismissed Russell.

The victory was the third on the trot for Gujarat Titans and boosted them up to the top of the table with 12 points from seven matches.

When Titans batted Pandya notched up his third half century on the trot before the new franchise collapsed in a heap by losing seven wickets for 23 runs.

Brief scores
GT 156-9 (H Pandya 67; A Russell 4-5, T Southee 3-24) beat KKR 148-8 (Russell 48; M Shami 2-20, R Khan 2-22, Y Dayal 2-42) by eight runs