486 runs in just 11 innings at an average of 69.42 and a strike rate of 207.69 – this has what Andre Russell has achieved in this IPL.

In what was yet another display of some incredible hitting, Russell blasted an unbeaten 80 off just 40 deliveries and then returned to take two crucial MI top-order wickets to hand KKR victory by 34 runs, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Russell was promoted to Number 3 after Chris Lynn and Shubman Gill gave KKR a rollicking start putting together 96 for the opening wicket in just 9.3 overs.

He took his time to settle in and even looked a bit rusty at the start of his innings. His first 12 deliveries fetched just 6 runs.

But then came the carnage.

Russell got stuck into Rahul Chahar and bludgeoned him over mid-wicket for a six before slog-sweeping him for another off the very next delivery.

He then took a liking to Hardik Pandya and deposited him into the deep mid-wicket stands for two consecutive sixes before upper-cutting the bowler for the third six of the over – the 18th of the innings.

He soon registered his fifty off 30 balls – such has been the destruction he has caused with his batting at the death that this seemed to be a rather slow innings compared to the standards he has set himself in the tournament!

Russell took on Jasprit Bumrah and lifted him over extra cover for a six before taking Lasith Malinga for 20 (two sixes and two fours) in the final over.

He registered his highest score of the season and remained unbeaten on 80 off just 40 deliveries – a knock which included 6 fours and 8 sixes (72 of his 80 runs came in boundaries).

From 6 off 12 deliveries to 80 off 40 – Russell had accelerated brilliantly and scored 74 off just 28 deliveries at a strike rate of 264.29.

The last 4 overs yielded 68 runs.

KKR posted 232 for 2 – the highest score for any team in this IPL. It proved to be too much for MI, who, despite a scintillating innings from Hardik Pandya, were comprehensively beaten.

Russell returned to take two wickets – of Evin Lewis and Suryakumar Yadav in consecutive overs and was also the most economical bowler of the match conceding just 25 runs in his 4 overs.

Russell has now registered 8 scores of 40-plus in IPL XII (and just three failures). What is incredible is the fact that he has a strike rate of 200 or more in 7 of these 8 innings.

Another startling statistic which shows the kind of impact Russell has had with his hitting prowess in this IPL – there are 5 Russell-innings in the ten fastest 40-plus scores in the tournament.

Russell now has the second-highest aggregate in the tournament – this is a colossal achievement given the fact that he has mostly batted in the lower middle order.

In addition, he is also the joint highest wicket-taker for KKR this season (10 wickets) with the best bowling average and strike rate for the franchise.

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