IPL 2021: Andre Russell responds to KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan’s apology, check reply

Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell celebrates after picking up a wicket against Mumbai Indians. (Photo: Kolkata Knight Riders)

Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell, who picked up only the second five-wicket haul in Indian Premier League (IPL) history against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday (April 13), responded to KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan’s apology for the team’s disappointing loss. Two-time IPL champions KKR slipped to a disappointing 10-run defeat after ‘choking’ in the last five overs, chasing a modest 153 to win.  

Eoin Morgan’s side self-destructed as they managed just one boundary in the last 5 overs in chase of 153. KKR were restricted to 142/7 as they slipped to their 11th defeat to Mumbai Indians in their last 12 meetings.

“Yeah, I support that tweet (from SRK) but at the end of the day the game of cricket... you are not sure until it's over. I think we are still confident, we still played some good cricket and I am proud of the boys. You know, we are definitely disappointed but it's not the end of the world, it's only the second game and we are going to learn from it,” Russell said in the post-match press conference.

“I just think it's a game of cricket. I have played hundreds of T20 games and I have seen games where teams cruise in on the driver's seat and then suddenly lose a few wickets, new batters come in and struggle to get away and that's what happened tonight. So, we definitely have to learn from this as I have said before,” Russell, who picked up five wickets in two overs, said.

“We will look to make sure that who's in, stays in and once we learn from all these mistakes that happened tonight we will definitely do better because we have a good team. I have trust and confidence in the boys,” the West Indian all-rounder added.

Shah Rukh Khan, co-owner of the KKR franchise, expressed his disappointment over the team’s shocking defeat. The Bollywood star also apologised to the KKR fanbase for losing the match by 10 runs in the final over despite being strong favorites till the half-way mark. He tweeted, “Disappointing performance. to say the least @KKRiders apologies to all the fans!”

Disappointing performance. to say the least @KKRiders apologies to all the fans! — Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 13, 2021

Shah Rukh, like all KKR fans, was disappointed to see the team go down after being in control until the 15th over, with Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik still to come. Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah kept things tight after MI’s spinners spun a web around KKR’s middle-order batsmen.

Boult eventually defended 15 runs off the last six balls to help MI win. He claimed the prized scalp of Andre Russell in the final over to end KKR’s hopes of chasing the 153-run target.