Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell has finally silenced his doubters with a match-winning knock of 57 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season on Sunday, May 04. The talismanic all-rounder's blistering knock proved to be the game-changer as KKR eventually won the game by just one run. Russell was also named player of the match for his knock. Notably, Pretoria Capitals (PC) director Sourav Ganguly has offered the KKR star a contract for the upcoming SA20 season.
According to journalist Sumit Ghosh, if all goes well, Russell might turn up to play for PC in the next SA20 season in 2026. Nothing is confirmed yet, as only initial talks are going on.
Advertisement
Andre Russell opens up about his performance against Rajasthan Royals
Speaking to broadcasters on his match-winning knock at the post-match conference, Andre Russell said that it was important for KKR to win this, as a loss would have ended their hopes of playoffs. The KKR all-rounder, who had a quiet tournament until that point, delivered for the team when it mattered the most.
Advertisement
“We all know the importance of this game. We had four games to go, and it was like four finals. Happy with our performance and the win. I had time to go, so I was not worried about the dot balls that I faced.”
“It was a difficult wicket to go out and start hitting. Happy that I was able to hit boundaries at the end, and Rinku also got a few away. The scoreboard is the best indication—you have to evaluate the situation, see which bowlers you can see off, and which ones you can target.”
Russell came to bat in the 13th over and gave the KKR innings the much-needed impetus in the end. The 36-year-old's blazing fifty powered KKR to 206 runs in 20 overs. On account of a close win against RR, KKR now have 11 points and need to win their remaining three games to secure a place in the IPL 2025 playoffs.
