KOLKATA: Andre Russell’s all-round show and last over heroics by Harshit Rana helped Kolkata Knight Riders prevail in an IPL thriller by four runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday.
Heinrich Klaasen smashed 63 off 29 balls to give Kolkata a scare as Hyderabad attempted to chase down a victory target of 209 at Eden Gardens.
Coming down to needing 13 off the last over after a flurry of sixes from Klaasen in overs 18 and 19, fast bowler Harshit was hit for a six on ball one but kept calm to send back Shahbaz Ahmed and Klaasen in the space of three balls.
Pat Cummins, on his IPL debut as captain, faced the final ball and needed four to tie the match but Harshit bowled a dot ball to trigger wild celebrations.
The big-hitting Russell steered Kolkata to 208-7 with his unbeaten 25-ball 64 and a 81-run stand with Rinku Singh after England’s Phil Salt began the batting charge with his 54.
It was heartbreaking for Cummins, who took charge of Hyderabad after the franchise paid $2.5 million for the 30-year-old fast bowler.
Fellow Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc broke the record in the same auction when Kolkata shelled out $2.98 million for the left-arm quick.
Starc endured a day to forget, however, getting hit for 53 runs off his four overs.
It was Russell who stole the thunder as he destroyed the Hyderabad bowling with seven sixes and three fours.
Hyderabad started strongly as Mayank Agarwal (32) and Abhishek Sharma (32) put on 60 for the opening wicket before Harshit broke through to send back Agarwal.
Starc created an early chance but wicketkeeper Salt spilled a catch to extend Sharma’s stay, which was finally cut short by Russell’s pace bowling.
Kolkata unleashed their spin force and a wicket each to Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine further dented Hyderabad’s chase until Klaasen decided to unleash his power in a 58-ball stand off 16 ball with Ahmed.
Klaasen and Ahmed took Starc to the cleaners in a 26-run 19th over only for Harshit to turn an unlikely hero.
Andre Russell, Harshit Rana help Kolkata edge Hyderabad in IPL thriller
https://arab.news/p5d2s
Andre Russell, Harshit Rana help Kolkata edge Hyderabad in IPL thriller
- Russell stole the thunder as he destroyed the Hyderabad bowling with seven sixes and three fours
Undefeated boxing great Terence Crawford announces retirement
- Crawford, (42-0, 31 knockouts), retires as the reigning WBA, IBF and WBO supermiddleweight champion after defeating Alvarez by unanimous decision in a masterful performance
- Crawford’s career straddled three different decades, with the southpaw making his professional debut in 2008 and rapidly becoming one of boxing’s brightest talents
LOS ANGELES: Undefeated world super middleweight champion Terence Crawford announced his retirement from boxing on Tuesday, hanging up his gloves three months after a career-defining victory over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
The 38-year-old from Nebraska, who dominated Mexican legend Alvarez in Las Vegas in September to claim the undisputed super middleweight crown, announced his decision in a video posted on social media.
“I’m stepping away from competition, not because I’m done fighting, but because I’ve won a different type of battle,” Crawford said in his retirement message. “The one where you walk away on your own terms.”
Crawford, (42-0, 31 knockouts), retires as the reigning WBA, IBF and WBO supermiddleweight champion after defeating Alvarez by unanimous decision in a masterful performance.
Crawford had also held the WBC super middleweight belt, but was stripped of it earlier this month following a dispute over sanctioning fees.
Speaking in his video, Crawford said his career had been driven by a desire to keep “proving everyone wrong.”
“Every fighter knows this moment will come, we just never know when,” Crawford said.
“I spent my whole life chasing something. Not belts, not money, not headlines. But that feeling, the one you get when the world doubts you but you keep showing up and you keep proving everyone wrong.”
“I fought for my family. I fought for my city. I fought for the kid I used to be, the one who had nothing but a dream and a pair of gloves. And I did it all my way. I gave this sport every breath I had.”
Crawford’s career straddled three different decades, with the southpaw making his professional debut in 2008 and rapidly becoming one of boxing’s brightest talents.
He won his maiden world title, the WBO lightweight crown, with victory over Scotland’s Ricky Burns in 2014.
Crawford won 18 world titles in five weight classes, culminating in his win over Alvarez.
He retires having never been officially knocked down in a fight.
All of his 42 victories have come by way of unanimous decision or stoppage, with no judge ever scoring in favor of an opponent during his career.
