Kolkata: A brilliant all-round show by Andre Russell (48 runs off 17 balls; 2/21) helped Kolkata Knight Riders register their second successive win in the ongoing Indian Premier League as the Dinesh Karthik-led side defeated Kings XI Punjab by 28 runs at the Eden Gardens here, Wednesday.
Chasing a massive 219 runs to win, the visitors were reduced to 60/3 in 7.3 overs. However, Mayank Agarwal (58, 34b, 6×4, 1×6) and David Miller (59 n o, 40b, 5×4, 3×6) tried their best to take their team close to the target with a 74-run fourth wicket stand before Mandeep Singh (33 n o, 15b, 4×4, 1×6) contributing handy runs. Russell was standout among the KKR bowlers while he was ably supported by leggie Piyush Chawla (1/26).
Earlier, Nitish Rana (63, 34b, 2×4, 7×6) and Robin Uthappa (67 n o, 50b, 6×4, 2×6) slammed half centuries while Russell (48, 17b, 3×4, 5×6) continued his pyrotechnics with the bat as KKR posted a mammoth 218/4.
Russell and Uthappa joined hands for a 32-ball 67-run fourth wicket stand as KKR amassed 71 runs in the last five overs. Before that, Uthappa and Rana stitched together 110 runs for the third wicket after the home team lost their openers inside four overs, with opener Sunil Narine (24, 9b, 1×4, 3×6) giving the home team a flying start.
Brief scores: KKR 218/4 (Robin Uthappa 67 n o, Nitish Rana 63, Andre Russell 48) bt KXIP 190/4 (David Miller 59 n o, Mayank Agarwal 58; Andre Russell 2/21) by 28 runs.
