WATCH: Andre Russell spotted shadow batting facing wrong side when Kuldeep Yadav was on hattrick against KKR in IPL 2023

In the 28th fixture of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Delhi Capitals (DC) locked horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Thursday, April 20. DC won the match by four wickets and India’s veteran pacer Ishant Sharma was awarded the Player of the Match for his brilliant bowling spell.

Batting first, KKR was dismissed for 120, with Jason Roy scoring the most with 43 off 39 balls. Had it not been for Russell’s late fireworks, which raised KKR beyond 100, their total may have been much lower. Russell’s four sixes and one four in his innings. The left-arm spinner was on a hat-trick when he dismissed Roy and Anukul Roy with consecutive deliveries. Kuldeep, the only Indian bowler to have achieved this feat twice in ODIs, had a chance to do it for the first time in the IPL but Umesh Yada denied him. Rashid Khan had already secured one hat trick this season.

Axar Patel guides Delhi Capitals to first victory in IPL 2023

However, Russell’s surprise showmanship at the non-striker’s end attracted more interest online than the hat-trick ball. Russell took up defense at the non-striker’s end with his head turned towards deep midwicket as Kuldeep prepared to run in. Batters often use this as a kind of practice, but Russell was too preoccupied with himself as his team was about to get all out.

Watch it here:

Kuldeep Yadav on a hat-trick.

Look at Andre Russell : pic.twitter.com/BqLlJEGxrD

— Rahul Sharma (@CricFnatic) April 20, 2023

Russell didn’t let what was happening at the other end bother him. Russell took matters into his own hands and gave KKR something to cheer for near the finish when Umesh departed in the 16th over. Russell hit three consecutive sixes in the innings’ last over, including one that travelled 109 meters for the fourth-longest six of the 2023 IPL.

Later, when Russell had the ball, KKR gave themselves more than just a chance to defend 120 runs, as he could only bowl one over which went for 12 runs. Delhi was in trouble thanks to two wickets apiece from Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, and skipper Nitish Rana. Even though he was far from his best, DC skipper David Warner scored 57 runs off 41 balls, maintaining DC‘s chances to win the game. But after his wicket, KKR saw an opportunity, and the outcome would have been different if Axar Patel hadn’t kept his calm and led the team home.