Some poor decisions cost us, rues Shane Bond

hyderabad — Mumbai Indians’ bowling coach Shane Bond feels his team could have played a bit smarter and posted a bigger score but in the end some errors in their decision making cost them the last-ball IPL thriller against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

“I thought today (Thursday) we made some decision-making errors. There were chances today, we could have played a little bit smarter, just kicked on and probably got a score of 160, 170, which would have been really tough against our bowling attack,” Bond said at the postmatch press conference on Thursday night.

Put into bat, Mumbai Indians posted 147 for eight and then had reduced Sunrisers to 137 for nine in 19 overs but the last wicket pair of Deepak Hooda and No 11 Billy Stanlake took them home.

Asked about Hardik Pandya, who had twisted his ankle, Bond said: “We did not want to risk him for this game. Hopefully, he will be fit for the next game.”

Pandya was carried off the field after twisting his ankle during the opening encounter against Chennai Super Kings.

Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad bowler Rashid Khan said the nervy win was a learning experience for his team. “That happens, T20 is like that. Sometimes, you will do well but suddenly everything can change. It was a good experience for us. Learnt lots of things, especially for the batsmen that until the match is not finished, everyone should take the responsibility and play till the end,” he said.

Asked if the team could have done better in the batting department, the Afghani said the team will learn from its mistakes. “We should have finished as we did in the last match (against Rajasthan Royals). Every day is not like yesterday’s performance,” he said.

Rashid was all praise for the MI leg-spinner Mayank Markande, who bowled a superb spell for a four-wicket haul. “I watched him in the first game. He bowled really well. Today, the way he bowled is amazing. I am really impressed by him. Leg-spinners are all about once they get their line and length right, they bowl against any batsman in any condition.”