Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) superstars Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have reached the UAE on Sunday (September 13) morning. Like the duo, all the Windies bound after players joined their franchises as well. The likes of Narine, Pollard, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo were plying their trade in the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2020) which was won by the Trinbago Knight Riders.
KKR’s official Twitter handle posted pictures of their arrival on their official Twitter handle. Australian spinner Chris Green too travelled with the duo on the same flight to the UAE.
#CantKeepCalm – 💪🏾 + 🔮✨have arrived from the Caribbean!@Russell12A @SunilPNarine74#KKRHaiTaiyaar #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/Udq9kaX0ab
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) September 13, 2020
More news from the ✈️ arrivals desk: @Bazmccullum, @chrisgreen_93 and @arsrikkanth have checked in ✅🤩#KKR #HaiTaiyaar #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/6vxkP3hGSt
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) September 13, 2020
Andre Russell scored 222 runs in nine matches in CPL 2020 at a strike rate of 141.40, hitting 16 sixes in the process. KKR will be banking on Russell’s power-hitting this year as well like last year. He scored 510 runs in IPL 2019 at a mind-boggling strike rate of 204.81. He also hit 52 sixes last season, with Chris Gayle’s 34 the next best.
Meanwhile, three other key overseas players of KKR, Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins and Tom Banton will join the squad after the completion of the ongoing ODI series in England. They will also be available from KKR’s first match against the Mumbai Indians at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi on September 23.
Something that will be interesting to watch in IPL 2020 is how KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik handles Russell after there were talks of difference of opinion between the two senior players. Also, Karthik’s captaincy will be under scrutiny this season as well. KKR finished on 12 points in IPL 2019, winning just six out of the 14 matches they played.
Pollard Joins Mumbai Indians In the UAE
From the Caribbean Isles to Abu Dhabi 🇦🇪
The Pollard family and Rutherford have arrived 💙#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #MI #Dream11IPL @KieronPollard55 pic.twitter.com/5pPeKnfjKj
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 12, 2020
Also Read: Big Hitters Like Pollard And Pandya Will Struggle In IPL 2020- Ramiz Raja
Meanwhile, Kieron Pollard also has reached the UAE and joined the Mumbai Indians family. He is fresh from his title-winning season with the TKR in the CPL. MI also shared a picture of his arrival on their twitter handle.
Mumbai Indians have two back to back tough games, first against Chennai (September 19) and then against KKR (September 23).