In their opening game in Dallas, the San Francisco Unicorns took on the Los Angeles Knight Riders. Unicorns’ captain Corey Anderson won the toss and elected to bowl first. This decision initially paid off when Haris Rauf dismissed IPL MVP Sunil Narine in the second over.
The Knight Riders faced early setbacks as Jason Roy and Unmukt Chand were also dismissed, leaving them at a precarious 46/3 after seven overs. A crucial 45-run partnership between Shakib Al Hasan and Nitish Kumar then stabilized their innings, bringing them to 88/3 by the 11th over.
The momentum shifted dramatically when Andre Russell came to the crease following Kumar’s departure in the 13th over. Russell took some time to settle in but launched a spectacular assault starting from the 16th over, culminating in an explosive 20th over.
On the third ball of the final over, Rauf bowled a short-length delivery aimed at the stumps. Russell, using his impeccable judgment, stood tall and delivered a monstrous pull shot. The ball made perfect contact with the bat and sailed out of the ground for a maximum, traveling an astonishing 107 meters (351 feet).
2023 – 1️⃣0️⃣8️⃣m six vs SFU
— Los Angeles Knight Riders (@LA_KnightRiders) July 8, 2024
2024 – 1️⃣0️⃣7️⃣m six vs SFU
Just Andre doing Andre things 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yiH2WMHM9O
This shot not only marked the longest six of the season but also lifted the Knight Riders to a formidable total of 165/6 in 20 overs. The Knight Riders’ dugout, with Shakib in particular, was left momentarily stunned by Russell’s incredible display.
