IPL 2022: Andre Russell and Umesh Yadav Star as KKR Win Big Against Punjab Kings

Andre Russell smashed a six to seal the win.

Image: BCCI

• KKR defeated Punjab by 6 wickets in Mumbai at the Wankhede.

• Umesh Yadav picked 4 wickets for KKR and Andre Russell scored an unbeaten 70 off 31 balls.

• Punjab were bowled out for 137 and KKR chased it down in 14.3 overs.

First it was Umesh Yadav with the ball and then the big-hitting Andre Russell joined the party with a blistering knock of 70 not out, as KKR powered over the line, winning by 6 wickets against the Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium. Russell smashed 8 sixes in the 31 deliveries he faced during the chase, having walked in when KKR were in a spot of bother.

Umesh with 4 wickets now has 33 wickets against Punjab, which is the highest for any bowler against a franchise in the IPL. KKR have won two out of their three games so far while Punjab have won one and lost one. KKR had won the toss and opted to bowl.

Batting first, Punjab needed a quick start, but captain Mayank Agarwal was sent packing by Umesh Yadav for 2, trapped LBW. Shikhar Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa had to rebuild and the Sri Lankan decided attack would be the best defence. He hammered 31 of 9 before Shivam Mavi had him caught at mid-off in the fourth over. Before the powerplay ended, Dhawan, who found it a little hard to get going, was gone for 16 as Tim Southee had him caught behind by Sam Billings.

Liam Livingstone and Raj Bawa, India’s U-19 star, put together a 16-run stand of 20 deliveries right after the powerplay. And with Punjab needing some momentum, Livingstone went for the big one of Umesh in the 9^th over, holing out in the deep to Southee as they lost a fourth wicket. In the next over, Bawa drove Sunil Narine beautifully for a boundary, before the spinner knocked over his off stump, pushing Punjab back to 5-down at the midway stage.

Umesh Yadav picked 4 wickets 

Image: BCCI

KKR’s spinners then rattled off a couple of good overs as Shahrukh Khan and Harpreet Brar found Narine and Varun Chakravarthy a little difficult to deal with. Back came Southee into the attack in the 13^th over, and struck immediately, sending Khan packing for a five-ball duck. With 7 overs to go, Punjab were 97/6 with Odean Smith joining Brar.

Just after Punjab got to 100, Umesh Yadav came back for his fourth and cleaned Brar for 18 and then sent Rahul Chahar packing for a duck and bowled a maiden, leaving the Kings wobbling at 8-down. Umesh finished with 4/23 and has 33 wickets against Punjab, which is the highest for any bowler against a franchise in the IPL. Odean Smith was in the middle though as the final five overs started but Chakravarthy kept the next tight and finished with figures of 0/14, with KKR dominating proceedings.

That’s when Kagiso Rabada decided enough was enough, and smashed Southee for two boundaries and a six in a 16-run over, pushing Punjab to 120. Smith and Rabada continued to add some vital runs, before Andre Russell struck first ball after coming into the attack – Rabada going big and Southee running a mile from long-off to take a brilliant diving catch – dismissing the South African for 25. And then off the next delivery, Arshdeep Singh was run-out and Punjab were rolled over for 137.

Andre Russell runs out Arshdeep Singh

Image: BCCI

In response, Ajinkya Rahane started off with three very crisp shots for fours before Rabada had him caught at short third man for 12, bringing Shreyas Iyer in the middle with Venkatesh Iyer, as KKR moved along at good pace.

The left-handed Iyer though could not stick on for too long and was gone for 3 of 7 balls, when Harpreet Brar took a fine catch of Odean Smith in the 5^th over. The skipper’s quick start though ensured KKR got to 51/2 at the end of the powerplay, with Sam Billings in at the other end.

Right after, Punjab turned to Rahul Chahar and he responded with the scalp of Shreyas Iyer, who was looking to slog him into the sea, but miscued it and was caught by Rabada for 26 of 15 balls.

Right after, Punjab turned to Rahul Chahar and he responded with the scalp of Shreyas Iyer, who was looking to slog him into the sea, but miscued it and was caught by Rabada for 26 of 15 balls. Chahar ended the over with another wicket, as he trapped Nitish Rana LBW for a two-ball duck, leaving KKR in a spot of bother after the end of 7 overs.

Andre Russell smashes a six.

Image: BCCI

Andre Russell joined Billings in the middle and steadied the ship and continued to chip away. Russell was understandably the more aggressive of the two batters. Russell hit two sixes to start with off Brar.

In came Smith to bowl after that, and was pummelled for a boundary and three sixes, before he bowled a no-ball of the final delivery. The over eventually costed Punjab 30 runs as Billings hit the free hit into the sight-screen. Chahar rolled in a five-run over before Russell almost took Arshdeep’s head with a whack past him, completing his half-century in the 14^th over. Russell was absolutely brutal in his attack on Punjab, as KKR inched closer to a big win, and he finished the over with a monster six over extra cover.

In the 15^th over, Livingstone came on to bowl, and Russell finished off the game with back-to-back maximums. He finished unbeaten on 70 from 31 deliveries while Billings was not out on 24 of 23 balls. KKR won by 6 wickets, registering their second win in three games.