Happy Birthday Andre Russell – An Avengers fan who is also a Twenty20 superhero

Andre Russell has been on fire in the ongoing IPL 2019 for Kolkata Knight Riders. His big-hitting in the death overs and his ability to hit sixes at will has boosted Dinesh Karthik’s side as they stay alive in the race for the playoffs. In the final game of the season at the Eden Gardens, Russell once again put on a magnificent show as he blasted an unbeaten 80* off 40 balls which included six fours and eight sixes. Kolkata Knight Riders smashed 232/2 and they snapped their six-game losing streak as they defeated Mumbai Indians by a margin of 34 runs to register their first win against Rohit Sharma’s side after four years.

Speaking at the end of the match, Russell, who was celebrating his birthday, revealed he was an Avengers fan and said he was happy that fans called him a superhero. “Yes, I am a fan of (Avengers), I am watching it for a while. If the fans say that I am a (superhero) I am happy. Hand-eye co-ordination, good bat speed and balance is important. I generate a lot of power from the shoulders and core. Everything works together. You need to make sure your body is fit and strong in order to play those upward shots in those moments,” Russell said.

There should be a statutory warning when #AndreRussell is batting. "These actions are carried out by a Russell and viewers are warned not to try them"

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 28, 2019

Drop a cake emoji to make it a special day for the birthday boy @Russell12A 🎂#KKRvMI #VIVOIPL #IPL #AndreRussell #KKRHaiTaiyaar

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 28, 2019

So Hardik Pandya is basically Andre Russell without the muscle.#KingsOfSixes

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) April 28, 2019

For reasons of personal safety, shouldn’t the bowler & the fielders be advised to wear helmets when #AndreRussell is batting?

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 28, 2019

The Avengers film was released in 2012 and the plot involved Earth's mightiest heroes coming together and learning to fight as a team in order to stop mischievous elements enslaving humanity. Even when the match ended, Russell engaged in a lovely chat with his wife Jassym Russell. Jassym said she knew that her husband would pull off something special. “It felt good. I knew you were going to do that. My heart was in my hands when you were hitting those sixes,” Jassym said.

In response to Jassym’s quote, Andre replied, “It was an emotional moment that it was my last game of the season at Eden Gardens. We had to leave out on a bang and give the fans something to cheer. I am always under pressure. I must ensure that the fans are happy and my beautiful wife is also happy. My wife is my lucky charm.”

Kolkata Knight Riders now take on Kings XI Punjab on May 3 and a win in their last remaining games gives them a chance to enter the playoffs.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Andre Russell is celebrating his 31st birthday.
• Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Mumbai Indians after four years.
• Kolkata Knight Riders stayed in the hunt for the playoffs.