West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell announced his return to form with a stunning 31-ball 70 that saw Kolkata Knight Riders chase down 138 in less than 15 overs against Punjab Kings on Friday. For two seasons now, Russell has failed to deliver the fireworks that made him one of the most feared batters in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but against PBKS, he was back to his very best as he came in to bat with KKR in a tricky position and turned the game into an easy win for his team.
Team owner Shah Rukh Khan was among those who were thrilled to see 'Dre Russ' putting on a spectacle and reserved some high praise for him.
"Welcome back my friend @Russell12A so long since saw the ball fly so high!!! It takes a life of its own when U hit it Man!" he tweeted.
He also praised Umesh Yadav and congratulated the team for the victory. Umesh Yadav returned with figures of 4/23 as KKR bowled PBKS out for 137. These are the best figures he has returned in the IPL.
"And @y_umesh wow! To @ShreyasIyer15 & team well done.Have a happy nite boys," he wrote in his tweet.
Russell came in to bat with KKR in a spot of bother at 51/4 after seven overs. However, once he settled in, he smacked eight sixes and two boundaries to make short work of the chase.
KKR have now won two matches out of three and moved to the top of the IPL 2022 points table.