IPL 2018: 'Every Match is Like a Final from Here on,' says MoM Andre Russell

Hosts Kolkata Knight Riders managed to pull off an unbelievable victory from jaws of defeat to progress towards the second Qualifiers of the playoffs against Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens.

The game went beyond the reach of the Knights on two occasions of the match – once with the bat, and the other with the ball.

It was all going out of control of captain Dinesh Karthik when Sanju Samson and Ajinkya Rahane were in the middle, chasing a challenging 170.

Every match is like a final from here on – Russell

However, thanks to the guile and deception from Kuldeep Yadav and Piyush Chawla, the Knights came back into the match and choked the Royals at the end of the innings.

Captain DK and Shubman Gill resurrected the KKR innings after the fall of early wickets. The two forged a counter-attacking partnership on a tricky surface, laying the platform for the likes of Andre Russell to explode.

Russell smashed a 25-ball 49, consisting of five sixes and three boundaries, propelling their target towards 170. With this 25 run win, they meet Sunrisers Hyderabad in front of their eccentric crowd at Kolkata.

“It feels very good as it has been a hectic road. Every game moving forward has been like a final. I think it is just a clear head. You get a short ball; you get a slower ball or a wide ball, you try to play a shot accordingly. I try to swing hard and back my ability,” Man of the match, Andre Russell commented.

“I have some good sticks as well. Also, I think it is good to take responsibility as a senior player. It was a good game for all of us. As I said, every game from here on is a final, and we cannot take anything for granted. It is going to be a new game, and we will have to start on the front foot,” concluded the allrounder.