He won the Player of the Match award on his ODI debut against England in 2023.
A young West Indies player has revealed how a talented bat and helpful advice from a Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star helped him flourish. He has been a key member of the Knight Riders and played a crucial role in making them champions in 2024.
West Indies bowling all-rounder Matthew Forde has great things to say about T20 cricket superstar Andre Russell. In a chat with Sportskeeda, Forde revealed that he would love to follow in Russell’s footsteps.
“Obviously, Andre is a great guy. It’s great to have a conversation with him. “He is a legend of the T20 game and has great achievements in what he does, so those are big boots to fill, but I would love to follow in his footsteps and keep adding things to my game.”
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Not just Forde but any all-rounder in T20 cricket aspires to be close to Russell’s capabilities. He is among those true all-rounders who can contribute to a single department and stay on the sidelines as Russell is equally good with both the bat and the ball.
Andre Russell gave one of his bats to Matthew Forde
Recalling his time in the Bangladesh Premier League, where he played with Andre Russell, Matthew Forde revealed that he gifted him one of his bats. Furthermore, he also gave Forde some useful advice.
“I remember we played the Bangladesh Premier League together. He picked up my bat and said, ‘Fordey, are these your bats? No, you can’t be a power hitter if these are your bats. And he actually gave me a bat and told me that I had to probably bat with two or three rubbers (rubber grips) because I used to bat with just one rubber (grip). I have done it and it has worked for me.”
Matthew Forde has made a sensational start to his international career, having won the Man of the Match award on his ODI debut against England in 2023. He took three wickets and conceded just 29 runs in his 8 over spell, playing a crucial role . role in restricting England to a low total in the first innings.
The talent is palpable and Forde will look to bring more consistency to his game. With his dual value, Forde can become an asset for the West Indies in all white-ball formats by contributing heavily with both the bat and the ball.
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