Andre Russell's form has been below par as he has only managed to score four single-digit scores in eight outings, with his highest score being 38*. Although he started off well against Gujarat Titans by hitting sixes against Rashid Khan, he was unable to continue his innings and was dismissed after scoring 34 off 19 balls. Kolkata Knight Riders finished with 179 for 7 against GT at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, and in the mid-innings interview, Russell expressed his disappointment with the total that his side ended up with on a placid batting track.
Russel furious with team
Russell stated that he was not happy at all with the total that they got and believed that they were 20 runs short of an ideal score on this pitch, especially after the start they had. He added that they only had themselves to blame for the situation.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz returned to the side after Jason Roy pulled out due to a back spasm and struck his second fifty of the season with seven sixes and five fours en route to his 39-ball knock. However, once rookie Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmed dismissed him for 81, KKR did not make good use of the final few overs as Mohammed Shami (3/33 in 4 overs) and Irishman Josh Little (2/25 in 4 overs) restricted them.
Power hitters out off arsenal
With 28 balls to go, KKR had the firepower of Andre Russell and Rinku Singh, but they could not get past the 200-mark, which could have given them a psychological edge. Russell could not express himself fully with GT bowlers doing well to restrict him for a 19-ball 34 not out (2x4, 3x6), and KKR managed just 45 runs and lost three wickets in the final five overs.
GT knocked off the target with relative ease in the 19th over with seven wickets in their bank, and defending champions registered their fourth away win in a row. Although there was a brief period when Shubman Gill (49) and Hardik Pandya (25) fell in successive overs, KKR could not make a comeback as Vijay Shankar and David Miller got stuck in, and GT emerged as the winners.
