Andre Russell 2nd player after Chris Gayle to hit 50 sixes in an IPL season

IPL 2019: Andre Russell joined Chris Gayle to become only the 2nd man to hit 50 sixes in an Indian Premier League season. Russell has hit 50 sixes in 12 matches this season. Gayle holds the record for most sixes in an IPL season.

IPL 2019: Andre Russell smashed 8 sixes during his 40-ball 80 against MI on Sunday (IANS Photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Andre Russell has hit 50 sixes from 12 matches in the 2019 Indian Premier League
• Only Chris Gayle hit over 50 sixes in an IPL season - he hit 59 in 2012 and 51 in 2013
• Andre Russell has scored 486 runs at a strike rate of 207.69 in the 2019 IPL

Andre Russell of Kolkata Knight Riders became only the 2nd player after Chris Gayle to hit 50 sixes in a single season of the Indian Premier League. Gayle had hit 59 sixes in 2012 and 51 sixes in 2013 while Russell has hit 50 sixes so far in the 2019 Indian Premier League.

Chris Gayle, who now plays for Kings XI Punjab, had hit 57 sixes from 15 matches in 2012 and 51 sixes from 16 matches in 2013. Andre Russell has still at least 2 more matches to play (more if KKR make it to the playoffs) and could break Gayle's record for most sixes in a single season of the Indian Premier League.

Chris Gayle is the only man to hit 300 sixes in the Indian Premier League and is the fastest to reach 4000 IPL runs. His West Indian teammate Andre Russell is currently the second highest scorer in the 2019 IPL with 486 runs with a strike rate of 207.69.

Andre Russell has often walked down the order and he had a major impact for the Kolkata Knight Riders when they won 4 out of their first 5 matches. However, KKR then went on to lose 6 matches in a row and Andre Russell said he would like to bat at No.4. The team management still persisted with Russell lower down the order.

After Kolkata Knight Riders lost to Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens, Andre Russell raised questions on KKR's decision-making. He was clearly not happy with how things were until the team decided to send up at No.3 on the back of a 96-run opening stand between Shubman Gill and Chris Lynn.

Andre Russell was watchful for a few balls before exploding. He smashed 80 not out off 40 balls and his innings was studded with 6 fours and 8 sixes as the Eden Gardens came alive.

Andre Russell has battled injuries after copping several blows on the body while batting in the middle. However, the strong West Indian all-rounder braved pain and played some scintillating knocks for KKR.

On the eve of the match against Mumbai Indians, Andre Russell had said KKR was a good team but there was some bad decision-making,

"We have a good team. But having a good team and making bad decisions, I think you will always lose games. And that's what we've been doing.

"I could pinpoint a few games where if we'd just looked to bowl tighter, and bowl bowlers who would restrict the game - the right bowlers at the right time.

"They say our batting has been struggling, but our batting hasn't been struggling really. We get the totals that we should defend, and we should restrict teams to lesser totals and go in and get those runs. And we don't really take our catches, we've been the worst fielding team so far. It's plain on TV, everyone's seeing it," he said.

SOURCE