Andre Russell’s majestic knock sets Twitter on fire

Andre Russell couldn’t put a foot wrong on his captaincy debut stepping up with an all-around performance to guide Jamaica Tallawahs to a surprise victory in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on Friday.

He not just scored a blistering century off 40 balls but also took a hat-trick and pulled off a brilliant catch during the Trinbago Knight Riders innings to lead his side to an unlikely win.

It was the highest total chased at the CPL and Russell also became the first cricketer since Joe Denly to achieve the rare feat of producing a hat-trick and scoring a hundred in a single twenty-20 game.

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Russell’s magnificent knock of 121 in 49 balls included six boundaries and 13 monstrous sixes that helped the Tallawahs chase down a record score of 225 with three balls to spare. That was after they were struggling at 41-5 after six overs and then lost the next wicket on the score of 202.

The giant all-rounder’s knock set twitter on fire with many netizens applauding 30-year-old for his power-packed innings.

Russell’s national teammate Chris Gayle also praised the Tallawahs captain tweeting, “What an innings @Russell12A … just brilliant!! #MVP.”

What an innings @Russell12A ?? … just brilliant!! ?? #MVP pic.twitter.com/FS2ojNcXrk

— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) August 11, 2018

Meanwhile, West Indies T-20 captain called Russell “special” applauding his record-breaking knock.

Andre Russell is special ??????

— Carlos Brathwaite (@TridentSportsX) August 11, 2018

WOW

One of if not the best T20 innings I’ve ever seen

Take a bow @Russell12A

— Carlos Brathwaite (@TridentSportsX) August 11, 2018

Former Australian cricketer Mel Jones also praised Russell for his special innings. She tweeted “Did that just happen? Debut captain, hat-trick, in at 5/41, a to lead the @JAMTallawahs to a win for the ages. Take a bow @Russell12A.”

Did that just happen? Debut captain, hatrick, in at 5/41, a ? to lead the @JAMTallawahs to a win for the ages. Take a bow @Russell12A https://t.co/Px1NAqpOaH

— Mel ‘MJ’ Jones (@meljones_33) August 11, 2018

@Russell12A well played Champion !!
100 and a Hat trick in the one game!
????????@CPL @JAMTallawahs

— Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) August 11, 2018

Andre Russell’s 121* (49) which took Jamaica Tallawahs from 41 for 5 (6.1) to chasing 224 with three balls to spare, against an attack of Ali Khan, Shannon Gabriel, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine & Fawad Ahmed, is arguably one of the greatest innings in T20 history. #CPL

— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) August 11, 2018