Andre Russell surpasses Kieron Pollard, Shane Watson to script unique record in IPL

Andre Russell on Friday became the fastest to complete a unique double of 1,000 runs and 50 wickets in Indian Premier League as the Windies all-rounder surpassed the record held jointly by Kieron Pollard and Shane Watson, who achieved the feat in 62 matches. Russell touched the landmark in just 57 matches as the Windies brute continues to torment opposition bowlers with some sensational hitting with the bat. Russell hasn’t bowled much in the ongoing IPL 2019 due to a shoulder niggle which he picked during the match against Delhi Capitals at the Feroz Shah Kotla but came back to haunt the Shreyas Iyer-led side as he picked up the priced wicket of the DC skipper.

After Russell, Pollard and Watson, Dwayne Bravo is next in the list to have achieved the double of 1000 runs and 50 wickets in the least number of IPL matches. Bravo reached the landmark in 78 matches while former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis completed the feat in 79 matches.

Meanwhile, Russell has been in scintillating form with the bat for KKR. The 30-year-old has hammered 302 runs in just seven matches for the two-time IPL winners while smashing 29 sixes and 20 boundaries. Although Russell hasn’t bowled much, he has been able to scalp six wickets in seven matches, in which he collectively bowled just 12 overs.

Against DC at the Eden Gardens, Russell scored 45 runs off 21 overs to take KKR to a competitive total of 178-7 in 20 overs. Russell was brilliantly supported by young batter Shubman Gill, who was sent to open the innings for KKR in the absence of Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine. Gill played a splendid knock of 65 runs off 39 balls laced with seven boundaries and two maximums.

However, KKR lost the match against DC by seven wickets as the Shreyas Iyer-led outfit moved to the fourth spot in the points table.