"Sunil Narine gave me good motivation to come out and smash it"- Andre Russell after KKR's win over DC in IPL 2024
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell credited his compatriot and teammate Sunil Narine's sensational knock against the Delhi Capitals (DC) in Visakhapatnam to bring the best out of the former on Wednesday, April 3.
Russell contributed with a fine cameo of 41 off 19 balls to help the Knight Riders post a mammoth 272/7 in their 20 overs. However, he believes Narine's dazzling 85-run knock gave the others the momentum they needed to just go out and express themselves.
Speaking to Sunil Narine in a video posted on IPL's official website, Andre Russell said after the game:
"You (Narine) gave me a good motivation to come out and smash it. But I decided to take a few deliveries, picking up the pace of the wicket. I was happy that Gambhir gave me the opportunity as well. The most important thing is we win by a 100-plus runs so that's good for our run-rate."
Narine smashed his second half-century on the trot in IPL 2024 and once again made a massive dent in the opposition bowling upfront. Explaining his mindset during the knock, Narine said:
"Starting, it was tough. They were getting swing and you were studying where the boundary was coming. Once you connect with one or two balls, it forces the bowlers to bowl in different areas and then everything came a little easier."
Narine was delighted that he could contribute the way he wanted with the bat and felt that doing it in front of KKR co-owner and Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan was the icing on the cake.
Andre Rusell and Sunil Narine hail KKR's Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Both the veteran all-rounders heaped praise on KKR youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who left a big impact in his maiden IPL innings. Batting at No. 3, Angkrish scored 54 off just 27 balls and ensured the Knight Riders built on the momentum given by Phil Salt and Sunil Narine.
"I am just happy for a young man on debut who played with confidence, and play the way he did. To do it in front of an amazing owner like Shahrukh, that's going to boost his confidence going forward in this tournament. So very happy for him," Andre Russell said.
Sunil Narine also weighed in on just how impressive Angkrish was and added:
"I think the young guy Angkrish, he has been showing his talent and what he can do in the nets. He works hard, he bats long, and keeps growing from strength to strength."
The staggering 106-run win over the Capitals has massively boosted KKR's net run rate. They now sit pretty at the top of the table with three wins from as many games.