IPL 2022: It was 'Russell muscle' for serious, says KKR captain Shreyas Iyer

Andre Russell's unbeaten knock of 70 from 31 balls helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) score 141/4 in 14.3 overs in reply to Punjab Kings 137 to register a six-wicket victory and make a mockery of the chase here at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday. "It was such a relief to see him hit so clearly. Simply outstanding hitting - it was Russell muscle for serious," said Kolkata Knight Riders' captain Shreyas Iyer at the post-match press Conference. KKR were at one stage reeling at 51/4 in their run-chase, but Russell's blistering half-century, which included 8 sixes, turned the game on its head as Kolkata won with more than five overs to spare.

Read AlsoIPL 2022, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings: Umesh Yadav's pace, Andre Russell's power too hot for Punjab Kings

Umesh Yadav's 4/23 and Andre Russell's unbeaten 70 off 31 balls steered Kolkata Knight Riders to a six-wicket over Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League on Friday. The West Indian hit eight towering sixes to stay unbeaten on 31-ball 70. KKR bowlers never allowed the Punjab batters to settle

Punjab Kings were bowled out for a modest 137 in 18.2 overs as Umesh Yadav bagged four wickets for 23 runs. He was named the 'Player of the Match' award. "I was just having a chat with him (Yadav). He said he's getting older but I told him he's getting fitter and stronger. He's been putting in the hard yards at practice. I see him in the gym every time I go. He's hungry and wants the team to win. He's been a great colleague to work with," said Shreyas. Punjab started off aggressively despite losing their captain Mayank Agarwal in the very first over to Umesh Yadav but Bhanuka Rajapaksa's 31-run knock off just nine balls helped the 2015 finalists reach the 50-run mark in just