IPL 2022: Andre Russell's All-Round Heroics Powers KKR To Big Win In Must-Win Match

IPL 2022: Andre Russell scored unbeaten 49 runs with the bat and took three wickets with the ball to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to a 54-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad at MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday.

Andre Russell scored unbeaten 49 runs with the bat and took three wickets with the ball to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to a 54-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2022 at MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday. Andre Russell (49), and Sam Billings (34) shined with the bat, while Russell also took three wickets and Tim Southee with two wickets each starred for Kolkata Knight Riders. KKR now are currently at sixth position in the points table with 12 points. SRH are at the eighth position with ten points.

Chasing 178, Sunrisers Hyderabad got off to a solid start with opener Abhishek Sharma and Kane Williamson going for boundaries. But the opening duo could not stand longer as Andre Russell removed Williamson for 9 runs to give KKR an early breakthrough.

Sharma looked in great touch, smashing Sunil Narine for two sixes in the eighth over. Rahul Tripathi tried to anchor a partnership with aggressive batter Abhishek Sharma but was sent back to the pavilion by Tim Southee after scoring just 9 runs.

This brought explosive batter Aiden Markram to join the opener to continue the proceedings. They built a partnership with the proper mix of aggression and caution needed for a 178-run chase. However, this stand could not last long either as Sharma was caught behind by keeper Sam Billings of Varun Chakaravarthy's delivery for 43.

The next batter Nicholas Pooran could not stay for long too as he was dismissed by Narine. At the end of 13 overs, SRH were 84/4, with Washington Sundar (1*) and Aiden Markram (18*) at the crease. At this stage, the side needed a big partnership.