West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has said that he will be looking like a UFC fighter by the time the T20 World Cup rolls around next year. Russell was part of the West Indies team that beat England by 4 wickets in the fifth and final T20I to clinch the five-match series 3-2.

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Speaking to TNT Sport after the end of the series, Russell pledged that he would be looking like a UFC fighter in the 2024 T20 World Cup, insisting that the series win meant so much for the team. West Indies had failed to qualify for the recently-concluded ODI World Cup in India and a T20I series win against the T20I World champions would’ve boosted the team’s morale.

“I’ll be in better shape, to be honest: I’ll be looking like a UFC fighter. This series win means so much. It [makes me] want to push myself to the limit. have a lot of cricket to play and that’s good. When you’re playing cricket and in competition, your body is active and you’re not just sat at home waiting for the World Cup. We are definitely going to give some teams a good, good run for their money in the World Cup,” said Russell.

He went on to say that he is focusing on his recovery a lot, while adding that he still feels the pressure despite his long playing career. Russell finished as the second-highest wicket taker in the T20I series, claiming seven scalps in five matches.

“Fans won’t know that, but I still get the pressure and the backlash and all of that. It just makes me stronger. I love my Caribbean fans and I know they are passionate about the game, and when we’re messing up, they will be on our backs. I want to make sure that I do the necessary recoveries, drink a lot of coconut water and get my body right – massages, and all of that. That’s what I did to really be able to come in the last game, bowl three overs for 30-odd runs [37] – and then today was exceptional from all the bowlers,” Russell added.

Prior to the T20 World Cup, Russell will be turning up for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, set to begin in March next year.