Watch: With Kuldeep Yadav on hat-trick, Andre Russell produces 'THE BOYS' moment at non-striker's end

All-rounder Andre Russell's unbeaten 38 went in vain as Delhi Capitals defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets to register their first win of IPL 2023. In a match delayed due to rain, KKR, batting first, were bowled out for 120, with Jason Roy top scoring with 43 off 39 balls. Their total could have been a lot less had it not been for Russell's late fireworks which lifted KKR to above 100. That KKR reached 120 was purely because of Russell's four sixes and one boundary, without which Kuldeep Yadav looked set to wrap up the innings for less than 100 right after he picked two wickets off two balls.

The left-arm spinner dismissed Roy and Anukul Roy off back-to-back deliveries and was on a hat-trick. With Rashid Khan already grabbing one hat-trick, Kuldeep, the only Indian bowler to have boasted of this feat twice in ODIs, had a chance to do so for the first time in the IPL, but Umesh Yada blocked it out. However, more than the hat-trick ball, it was Russell that got the internet talking courtesy his unexpected antics at the non-striker's end. With Kuldeep ready to run in, Russell took guard at the non-striker’s end with his head facing towards deep midwicket. Batters usually do this as a means of practice but the fact that Russell was too caught up in his own world when his team was about to get rocked left users shocked.

Watch the video and some of the reactions below:

Russell however did not get bogged down by what was transpiring at the other end. When Umesh perished in the 16th over, Russell took matters in his own hands and gave KKR something to cheer for towards the end. In the final over of the innings, Russell enjoyed a hat-trick of his own as he smoked three consecutive sixes, including one that went 109 meters away – the fourth longest six of IPL 2023.

Later, with the ball, Russell could only bowl one over going for 12 runs as KKR gave themselves more than just a chance at defending 120. Varun Chakravarthy, Roy and captain Nitish Rana picked two wickets each to leave Delhi in a spot of bother at 93/4. Returning to a semblance of form, DC captain David Warner scored 57 off 41 runs, albeit he was far from his fluent best – and kept DC in chase. However, once he perished, KKR sniffed a chance and had it not been for the icy cool Axar Patel who guided the team home, the result could have been different.