Pant explains choice to bowl first: ‘We thought there will probably be a little bit of dew, which didn’t come’
When Delhi Capitals opted to bat of their first match of IPL 2024 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, they anticipated dew to play a task later within the night. Which would have meant a goal of round 220 additionally gettable. But the absence of dew within the chase helped Sunrisers Hyderabad, who obtained the balls to grip on the floor, register a 67-run win to maneuver to second on the points table.
“The only thought process behind [opting to bowl at the toss] was we thought there will be a bit of dew, which did not come,” Rishabh Pant, Capitals captain, mentioned on the post-match presentation. “If we could have restricted them to 220-230 we still had a chance. [The ball] stopped more [on the surface] in the second innings than what we anticipated. But when you have 260-270 to defend, it gives bowlers confidence.”
Sunrisers as soon as once more rode on the good power-hitting show of openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who helped them rating a record 125 for 0 in the powerplay, the very best in all males’s T20s. Abhishek fell for a 12-ball 46 whereas Head made 89 off 32 after his maiden IPL century within the final outing as Sunrisers posted 266 for 7, their third 250-plus complete in IPL 2024.
“I think powerplay was one of the differences,” Pant admitted. “They got 120-130 runs in the powerplay and we were catching up throughout the match.”
Pat Cummins, the SRH captain, had blended emotions watching his openers bludgeon the opposition. “Part of me is very excited and elated, but the other thinks I will have to bowl on this later,” he mentioned. “Amazing, every game they keep delivering and keep playing the way we want to.”
The recreation noticed 213 runs being scored within the powerplay, each innings mixed, once more a file in T20 cricket. Capitals romped to 88 for two of their chase of 267 and Cummins mentioned that the pitch got here into play as soon as the ball grew to become previous.
“We saw in the powerplay, there was not much in it for the bowlers for both sides,” he mentioned. “Once the game got on, the ball got softer and it started to hold a little bit. But 260-odd plays 200 [means it] is a good batting wicket.
“Normally dew makes it arduous [to grip the ball]. It slides on. But there was a bit little bit of grip on the market, so perhaps that was an element additionally.”
T Natarajan led Sunrisers’ charge with the ball, picking up 4 for 19, his best figures in T20s. Mayank Markande and Nitish Kumar Reddy also returned two wickets apiece, and Cummins was pleased with the discipline the bowlers showed.
“Really proud of how we closed out. It was actually disciplined, everybody was robust with their fields and the way they needed to bowl and executed effectively on the fly. It was not straightforward when they’re attempting to hit a six each ball.”
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: SRH batters are ‘ruining us’
The leader of the SRH bowling attack, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, heaped praise on Natarajan’s effort in what was their fifth win in seven outings. Natarajan used his change-of-pace as well as was effective with the yorkers, making it tough for Capitals’ batters to line him up.
“We know the way good he’s in relation to Yorkers,” Bhuvneshwar said after the match. “He is somebody who retains working arduous, a silent man who goes unnoticed many of the occasions. But he’s a star for us for thus a few years taking part in for SRH. We know the way vital he’s for us, he’s actually a match-winner.”
For years, SRH were known to win games because of their bowling in the IPL. But for a change their batters are firing in unison and Bhuvneshwar, who returned 1 for 33 off his four overs, was happy for the bowlers to take a backseat. But he also had a word of caution for them.
“For so a few years, that is presumably the primary time our batting is clicking a lot,” he said. “As bowlers, we’re completely satisfied to take the backseat and let the batters do their work and completely satisfied do defend so many runs. Honestly, they’re ruining us; if one of many video games we rating 180-200 mentally, will probably be robust for us bowlers to defend these. But nice to see the best way they’re batting.
“When you are defending those many runs, either of the things happen – you go for plenty of runs or you get teams out within 150. We accept the fact that when you defend so many runs, you can go for plenty of runs.”