Russell takes hat-trick, smashes 40-ball ton in CPL

Big-hitting West Indian batsman Andre Russell has unleashed in the Caribbean Premier League, hitting 121 off just 49 balls to guide his side to an unlikely victory.

Chasing the Trinbago Knight Riders’ monster total of 6-223, the Jamaica Tallawahs’ innings was floundering at 5-41 after 6.1 overs.

The Tallawahs skipper went nuts, bringing up his century from just 40 balls and hitting 13 sixes in his innings.

This included a massive maximum to bring up his ton.

The Tallawahs were in trouble when Russell came to the crease to join fellow West Indian Kennar Lewis. Lewis struck 51 off 35 balls and the pair put on a 161-run stand off just 69 balls as the Tallawahs hit the winning runs with three balls in hand.

Earlier, Australian Chris Lynn hit 46 off 27 balls at the top of the order for the Knight Riders to kickstart their innings.

Russell did plenty of damage with the ball before he got the willow in his hand. He took a hat-trick, snaring the scalps of New Zealand great Brendon McCullum and West Indians Darren Bravo and Denesh Ramdin.

Russell beat his previous personal best — a 42-ball century in the 2016 edition of the CPL — in today’s stunning knock, which was also his highest ever score in 257 T20 matches.

Fans and commentators were in awe of the powerful display from Russell.

Russell is just the second player to claim the double of a century and a hat-trick in the same match after Kent’s Joe Denly completed the feat in the Vitality Blast in July.

Source: news.com.au