"Beast Is Back": Internet Explodes As Andre Russell Slams 25-Ball-64 For KKR

Andre Russell unleashed his fury with an unbeaten 25-ball 64 after Phil Salt's solid fifty as Kolkata Knight Riders overcame a sedate start to post an imposing 208 for 7 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL match on Saturday. Salt, who went unsold at the auction only to be named as a replacement for Jason Roy, got to his third IPL fifty in just 38 balls before being dismissed by Mayank Markande (3/39) while trying to accelerate. The Englishman made 54 off 40. Russell teed off against Markande when he launched the SRH leg-spinner deep into the stands -- three sixes in five balls. Markande for a moment thought that he had the last laugh when Aiden Markram took a blinder at long-on but replays showed he grounded the forward diving catch, giving Russell a breather on 20.

Andre RussellThe beast is back.

The warning signs were on for SRH and the Jamaican went ballistic in Bhuvneshwar Kumar's penultimate over hitting him for two fours and two sixes that eventually yielded 26 runs.

ANDRE RUSSELL BECOMES THE FASTEST TO HIT 200 SIXES IN THE IPL...!!!!pic.twitter.com/mfJJFMKyRP

Rinku Singh, at the other end, made a 15-ball 23 as the duo put together 81 runs from 33 balls as KKR scored 85 runs in the last five overs.

RUSSELL IS BACK, EDEN IS MAD, KKR ON FIRE....!!!!

Fifty from just 20 balls including 1 four & 6 sixes - mad hitting from the madman.pic.twitter.com/Ostb9cUz3o

Left-arm seamer T Natarajan dismissed both Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer and along with veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar conceded just 16 runs in four overs to stifle KKR inside the powerplay.

STAT ALERT

51.59% of ANDRE RUSSELL CAREER IPL RUNS HAVE COME THROUGH SIXES#IPL2024 | #KKRvSRH pic.twitter.com/YIk72n1xlv

Bhuvneshwar bowled a peach of an opening over when he