Andre Russell getting bamboozled (Source: Screengrab from M
Andre Russell might well and truly be regarded as one of the greatest performers in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, there are some notorious incidents which he would love to forget while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
A very similar unwanted incident occurred in America on Monday, when Russell was at the crease for Los Angeles Knight Riders during Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026. And it was Texas Super Kings speedster Hardus Viljoen who gave him a major IPL flashback.
Andre Russell Suffers IPL Heartbreak On American Soil
Coming to bat at No. 3, Russell slammed two fours in his 8-ball 9. Both boundaries came off Hardus Viljoen, that too off back-to-back deliveries.
Viljoen, who played six IPL matches for Kings XI Punjab (now known as Punjab Kings) in 2019, came back superbly with the ball immediately after. He bowled a pinpoint yorker straight onto the stumps.
Russell got beaten on the under-edge, only to see the ball break middle and off stumps.
There were two instances when Russell, known as one of the most destructive hitters around, seemed helpless at the crease. One during IPL 2019 when Kagiso Rabada floored him. The other one was during IPL 2024 when Ishant Sharma, a former KKR man, did the same.
Interestingly, both Rabada and Ishant played for Delhi Capitals (DC) when Russell was bamboozled on these occasions.
Watch the video of MLC 2026:
Watch Kagiso Rabada's yorker to Andre Russell:
Watch Ishant Sharma's yorker to Andre Russell:
LAKR Win Despite Andre Russell Blow
However, LAKR ended up winning against Texas Super Kings, with 21-year-old Matthew Tromp emerging as the new hero. Right after Andre Russell’s departure, Tromp came as No. 4, and smashed seven fours and two sixes in a fluent 28-ball 58.
He stayed till the end, as LAKR chased down a challenging 172-run target with five balls and six wickets in hand.
Earlier in the game, Sunil Narine, Russell’s longtime friend in the Knight Riders family, conceded only 15 runs off his four overs, taking one wicket. Captain Jason Holder picked up three wickets, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell and USA’s T20 World Cup 2026 breakout star Shadley van Schalkwyk claimed the other wickets.
Riding on them, LAKR kept the target under control, as the Super Kings, led by Faf du Plessis, could manage 171/9 on the board. Having made 51 off 34 balls, Shubham Ranjane, who once had an on-field spat with Kieron Pollard, was their top-scorer.
LAKR Finish 2nd On MLC 2026 Points Table
Having won six out of 10 attempts, LAKR ended up sitting second on the MLC 2026 points table. San Francisco Unicorns had the same number of wins and points, but a better net run rate (NRR) helped them to top the chart.
Washington Freedom, on the other hand, also had six wins in 10 matches, but they had a poorer NRR than LAKR. Meanwhile, MI New York qualified for the next round as well, with five wins and as many defeats.
MLC 2026 Playoffs will begin on July 15, Wednesday.
Also Read: Ashleigh Gardner’s Partner Alleges Cheating, Pins Blame On Australian Teammate
