SRH want to stay cool despite heat of playoff worry
LEAVING IT LATE Defending champions are fourth in the points table but need to beat Gujarat Lions to seal qualification
IT IS A DOORDIE SITUATION FOR THE HOLDERS, WHO ARE FOURTH IN THE POINTS TABLE, AND DEPENDING ON SATURDAY’S MATCH. It’s not just batting and bowling, but you have to be good in fielding too. But for overall dominance, we need to be perfect in all departments.
A heavy wind caused disruption at the Green Park stadium on Friday evening and forced defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad to halt their training for a while as nets around the training pitch was sent flying ahead of their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against ‘hosts’ Gujarat Lions.
But it didn’t disturb Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper David Warner and his men, who were focused on their training as they know a win against the already eliminated Gujarat Lions on Saturday would put them through to the play-offs of the IPL-10. Thus, they didn’t want to miss training for even a few minutes.
After suffering a defeat at the hands of Delhi Daredevils on Wednesday,
Suresh Raina and Co too would love to finish on a winning note, and will leave no stone unturned in playing party poopers to Sunrisers.
It is a do-or-die situation for the holders, who are currently fourth in the points table, and everything depends on Saturday’s encounter. Sunrisers are being chased by Kings XI Punjab, who are one point behind.
Studded with local players, including Raina, Gujarat Lions would again be banking on their track record at this ground, where they have won two matches out of three.
Their experience of the last match at this venue against Delhi Daredevils, which they lost by two wickets with two balls to spare on Wednesday, would count much and key batsmen like Ishan Kishan, Dwayne Smith and Aaron Finch have to come up with their best one last time.
A win would help Sunrisers seal their place in the top four of the points table, joining Mumbai Indians, who are already through. What they need to do in the match against Gujarat Lions is repeat the all-round performance they produced against tabletoppers Mumbai Indians in their previous encounter on their home ground. Even in a day game, the centre wicket of the Green Park stadium would be helpful to bat early on. Light rolling on Friday afternoon was an indication that the wicket would be a batsman’s paradise.
Besides having hard-hitting batsmen led by David Warner, Sunrisers have the luxury of having Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson and Moises Henriques, Matches: Sunrisers Hyderabad won Gujarat Lions won Shikhar Dhawan needs just 12 runs to become the seventh Indian to complete 5000 runs in T20 cricket. The left-hand opening batsman has scored 4988 runs at 31.37 with 37 fifties in 181 matches since 2007.
Yuvraj Singh, who has scored 479 runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad with two fifties in 21 matches, needs 21 runs to become the fifth batsman from Sunrisers Hyderabad to complete 500 runs in IPL.
apart from Yuvraj Singh, who hurt his little finger while fielding in the previous game.
It will also be a sort of homecoming for Sunrisers Hyderabad’s pace spearhead, Bhuvneshwar
Kumar, who heads the bowling charts in 2017 IPL.
Sunrisers had crushed Gujarat Lions by nine wickets when they met early in the tournament in Hyderabad.
Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody stays in the present and that’s why he is focused on Saturday’s game against hosts Gujarat Lions.
It is a must-win game for his side. In case of a loss, they’ll have to depend on results of other matches.
“We are here to win the game and not worry about other results. We are concerned with things under our control and I don’t think worrying about anything beyond this is worthy at this moment,” Moody said here on Friday.
The match will start at four and Moody admitted that the heat will make it quite challenging. “Certainly, it’s these are tough conditions here, with the mercury rising to 45 degree Celsius. But players know how to adjust in such a situation.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad began well but they faltered midway. Moody said that they have faced tough competition from other teams but he maintaining consistency in such a long tournament is not an easy task. He, however, felt the team has done well to come within range of playoffs.
Admiring the youngsters in the side, Moody praised Siddharth Kaul and Mohammed Siraj for exploiting the opportunities provided to them. “It’s really great to see these youngsters do well in the cash-rich league and it is their hard work that has paid off and made them a consistent face in the team.”
He, however, accepted that fielding and catching are areas where the team needs to do well. “It’s not just batting and bowling, but you have to be good in fielding too. We have guys who are better in batting and bowling. But for overall dominance, we need to be perfect in all departments, including ground fielding and catching,” said Moody.
Gujarat Lions’ assistant coach Mohd Kaif accepted that weak bowling has hurt them a lot this season. “We had our moments and we batted well. But at the same time, I can say we weren’t that good in the bowling department.
“There are a lot of young bowlers in the side and we kept experimenting, but nothing worked out seriously. Basil Thampi started well in the first few matches. We tried various combinations but to no avail.”
He, however, accepted that absence of all-rounder Dwayne Bravo hurt the side very badly. “He (Bravo) was a match-winner for us last season and if he had been here this season, the scenario could have been different.”
“We want to finish with a win. Everyone wants to deliver as this performance would count next year when auctions take place.”
With Gujarat Lions going out after this season, nobody wants to miss out next year when the returning teams – Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings will pick their squads afresh.
The former India player refused to accept that arrest of bookies at the team hotel has affected players’ morale ahead. “This has nothing to do with us. ACU is looking into the matter. The boys aren’t affected by any controversy, and they are focused on planning for the match,” said Kaif.
This (betting probe) has nothing to do with us. ACU is looking into the matter. The boys aren’t affected by any controversy, and they are focused on planning for the match.