Andre Dwayne Russell (born 29 April 1988) is a Jamaican professional cricketer who plays internationally for the West Indies and for Jamaica in West Indian domestic cricket as an all-rounder. He has played in over 300 Twenty20 (T20) games for a number of teams in leagues around the world. Russell scored a century in a record 40 ball in the 2018 Caribbean Premier League, scoring a hat-trick in the same game. In doing so, he became the second player to score a hat-trick and achieve a century in the same T20 game.

Domestic Career

In 2010, Russell played at Barnards Green Cricket Club in Worcestershire, England, helping them secure promotion from Worcestershire Cricket League to Birmingham League Cricket.

On 21 September 2013, in a match against India A, Russell became the first bowler in T20 cricket to take four wickets in consecutive deliveries.

International Career

A fast bowling all-rounder, Russell made his Test cricket debut against Sri Lanka in November 2010. This is the only friendly of his career.

He made his One Day International (ODI) debut in the 2011 Cricket World Cup match against Ireland at Mohali. After a poor home series against Pakistan, he made his name in the ODI series against India. After being dropped from the first two ODIs, he did not score 92 from 64 balls in the 3rd ODI after coming into the crease at 96/7. He was named Player of the Match at the 5th ODI at Sabina Park, Kingston when he scored 4/35 (from 8.3 overs) to sack India for 251 in 47.1 overs.

He was named to the "Team of the Tournament" for the 2016 T20 World Championship by ICC, Cricinfo and Cricbuzz.

In April 2019 he was called up to the West Indies squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. In the West Indies game against Australia, Russell became the fastest batsman in terms of balls turned up, scoring 1,000 runs in ODIs and facing just 767 deliveries. However, on June 24, 2019, Russell was ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a knee injury and replaced by Sunil Ambris.

On 9 July 2021, during the first T20I against Australia, Russell scored his first half-century T20I. He hit 51 balls from 28 and helped West Indies after 145 before being sacked by Josh Hazlewood.

In September 2021, Russell was named to the West Indies squad for the 2021 ICC T20 Men's World Championship.

T20 Franchise Career

Russell has played in over 300 T20 games and has appeared for teams in a number of franchise leagues. It was also named in the 2016 and 2018 T20 XI by Cricinfo.

Indian Premier League

Andre Russell IPL During the 2012 Indian Premier League Players Auction, he was purchased by the Delhi Daredevils for a sum of US$450,000. Before the 2014 season he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders and was seen as a key batsman for the team in the later overs of the games. For his performances in 2015, he was included in the Cricinfo IPL XI for the season. He was on course to win the 2018 IPL Super Striker Award, given for the tournament's highest batting average, before being passed by teammate Sunil Narine. He eventually won it the next year in the 2019 IPL, where he had a record IPL season strike rate of over 205, and was also announced as the player of the tournament. In an otherwise unsuccessful season, he emerged as both the top run scorer and top wicket-taker for his team, while also being the tournament's third-highest run scorer. He hit 52 sixes in the tournament; Only Chris Gayle has hit more sixes in a single IPL season. He was included in the Cricinfo IPL XI for his performances in the 2019 IPL season.

Andre Russell IPL 2021 On 13 April 2021, he took numbers of 5/15 from just two overs in a game against Mumbai Indians during Indian Premier League 2021. With the racquet, he scored 9 runs from 15 balls as Kolkata lost the 10-run game.

Andre Russell IPL 2022 In February 2022, he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders at auction for the 2022 Indian Premier League tournament.

Other T20 Leagues

On August 16, 2016, Russell scored the Caribbean Premier League's fastest century, completing his 100 in 42 balls. He broke his own CPL record in 2018 with a century in 40 balls.

In May 2018 he was named as one of the ten marquee players for the first edition of the Global T20 Canada cricket tournament. He was selected to play for the Vancouver Knights.

In September 2018, he was named Icon Player for Nangarhar's squad at the first edition of the Afghanistan Premier League tournament. The following month he was called up to the Dhaka Dynamites squad in Bangladesh's 2018/19 Premier League. In June 2019, he was selected to play for the Vancouver Knights franchise team in the 2019 Global T20 Canada tournament.

In July 2020, he was named to the Jamaica Tallawahs' squad for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League. In October 2020, he was drafted by the Colombo Kings for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League. In April 2021, he was signed by Quetta Gladiators to take part in the rescheduled Pakistan Super League 2021 games.

Russell has been selected by Southern Brave for the 2021 edition of The Hundred Cricket.

Personal Life

Andre Russell married American model Jassym Lora in 2016. Russell and Lora have a daughter named Aaliayah Russell.

Controversies

According to the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO), Russell committed an "anti-doping whereabouts violation" in 2016 after missing three doping tests in a 12-month period. On 31 January 2017, Russell was banned from cricket for a year.

Honors
West Indies

ICC World Twenty20 - 2012, 2016

Jamaica Tallawahs

Caribbean Premier League - 2013, 2016

Sydney Thunder

Big Bash League - 2015/16

Dynamites of Dhaka

Bangladesh Premier League - 2016

Islamabad United

Pakistani Super League - 2016

Vancouver Knights

Global T20 Canada - 2018

Northern warriors

T10 League - 2018

Rajshahi Royals

Bangladesh Premier League - 2019/20

Individually

Indian Premier League Most Valuable Player - 2015, 2019
Indian Premier League Maximum Sixes Award – 2019
Caribbean Premier League Player of the Series – 2016
Bangladesh Premier League Player of the Tournament – ​​2019/20
Pakistan Super League top wicket takers - 2016

Outside Cricket

In 2014, Russell embarked on a second career as a recording artist under the moniker "Dre Russ," with two singles released in November, one in collaboration with Beenie Man.