The left-hander, who had resurrected his career through some match-winning performances for Mumbai Indians two years ago, has consecutive fifties to signal another rollicking start to a season
KKR's Andre Russell during his 17-ball 48 against KXIP on Wednesday. Pic/AFP
On the heels of Ravichandran Ashwin's 'Mankading' of Jos Buttler, Kings XI Punjab created another memory that will haunt them for some time. "That's where the game changed," Kings XI coach Mike Hesson said on Wednesday, pointing to the ridiculous no-ball that gave Andre Russell a reprieve when he was on just three. The powerful Jamaican went on to hammer a 17-ball 48 and pave the way for Kolkata Knight Riders' 28-run victory at the Eden Gardens.
"We had a plan for Russell that we executed well but we weren't alert enough in the field," Hesson said of the yorker that castled Russell in the 17th over, but was declared a no-ball after it was discovered that KXIP did not have the mandated number of fielders within the 30-yard circle when Mohammed Shami delivered the ball. "It's a fine line when you're bowling to Russell. He's a game-changer," the Kiwi added.
Mike Hesson
At the post-match presentation, Russell quipped: "Thanks to that guy, who was outside the ring. It's the new guy, forgot his name. Thank you." While Russell bagged back-to-back Man of the Match awards with two blitzkriegs, Nitish Rana has been making a statement of his own.
The left-hander, who had resurrected his career through some match-winning performances for Mumbai Indians two years ago, has consecutive fifties to signal another rollicking start to a season. "For the last two years, I've not been able to finish a season the way I've begun it. I want to change that this time," Rana said after hitting seven sixes and a couple of boundaries in a 34-ball 63. He had scored 68 from 47 deliveries on Sunday after being asked to open against Sunrisers Hyderabad following a finger injury to Sunil Narine.
Rana conceded that his domestic season has not gone the way he would've liked it to but said that he comes into IPL-12 a tougher nut. "I've worked hard at the KKR Academy, and it's almost entirely on the mental aspect. I think I'm better equipped this time," he said.
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