IPL 2023: Sunil Gavaskar explains why Andre Russell's knock vs PBKS is 'fantastic' in context of tournament

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IPL 2023: Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has praised Andre Russell for his match-winning 42 off 23 balls against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. The knock helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) chase down 180 against Punjab.

Gavaskar has said that people would have said "all kinds of things" had Russell not scored, before adding that his blazing knock has made the IPL 2023 playoffs qualifications scenario all the more interesting.

Notably, with the win KKR jumped to the fifth spot and are now ahead of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), PBKS and Mumbai Indians (MI). Fourth-placed Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the aforementioned four teams have 10 points each. RCB have played 10 matches, a game less than RR, KKR, PBKS and MI.

"He has been there and played a match-winning hand, you know, how Kolkata has seen. That's where he has come to the party. It was important for him to score because otherwise people would have what is he doing and all that kind of thing.

“He's got plenty of cricket matches to win for his team and that's fantastic for the IPL because look what has happened.

"Suddenly from being no.8, KKR have climbed to no.5 and then there's a traffic jam that everyone keeps on talking about. This is the kind of win which you see in Mumbai's traffic," Gavaskar said about Russell on Star Sports.

26 runs were needed off the final 12 deliveries when Russell blasted three sixes in the 19th over from Sam Curran. His innings consisted of three fours and as many sixes. The 35-year-old was adjudged Man of the Match for his stellar knock.