Russell powers Kings to second win

The final result will show a 34-run win for the Colombo Kings, but in truth Andre Russell would have beaten the Galle Gladiators even if his teammates made zero contribution with the bat. 

A three-hour rain delay meant that when the Lanka Premier League (LPL) match between the Kings and the Gladiators did take place, it would  be for 5-overs per side. 

It was a tailor made situation for Russell -- no need for circumspection, no need for control, just go all out attack -- and so it proved, as the West Indian pummeled 65 of the 96 runs his team managed in their five overs. 

It was a world record total for a match reduced to five-overs a side, with Russell's 14-ball half-century the fifth fastest 50 in T20 cricket. 

He stood deep in the crease and, by his own admission later, swung the bat quickly as the ball disappeared past the boundary line four times, though it felt like there were more sixes in his innings. 

Russell scored 24 off the first over of the innings, against Mohammed Amir, before striking three consecutive boundaries in the next over bowled by Asitha Fernando after having sent one over the deep midwicket boundary earlier in the over, as the Kings moved to 52/1 in two overs.

Mohammed Shiraz did relatively better, giving up just 11 runs in the next over, but Amir had another howler, giving 20 runs. 

Laurie Evans scored two sixes off him earlier in the over, with Russell cracking his ninth boundary to reach his half-century.  
It meant Amir had figures of 46 runs for no wicket in his two overs. 

A six and four off the next over saw Russell power towers a score of 65, with Evans contributing 21. 

In the chase, the Gladiators made a good start, scoring 19 off Isuru Udana's opening over, but the ante slightly dropped when they managed 16 off the next over.

The game was however, decided in the Gladiators' third over, when Ashan Priyanjan coughed up just two runs, which left Galle needing 60 runs off the last two overs. 

The Gladiators ended on 62/2 after five overs, significantly shorter than the Kings and three runs short of what Russell managed with the bat.