IPL 2018 | Mahela Jayawardene expresses his disappointment over Mumbai's shocking defeat against Hyderabad
Mahela Jayawardene voiced his disappointment in the way Mumbai Indians lost the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad after they failed to chase a paltry total of 119. The Mumbai Indians head coach advised young talents like Hardik Pandya to work harder for better consistency and results.
After a shocking defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, where Mumbai batsmen failed to score a paltry total of 119, Jayawardene publicly spoke about the disappointment following the defeat. The former Sri Lankan captain looked clearly disheartened after the shameful defeat and came down heavily on their batting line up.Ā
"Some of the matches we lost this season, but I thought we played good cricket, they could have gone either way, it is T20 cricket, but today am disappointed," said Jayawardene, reported TOI.
"We just probably played the wicket thinking there is going to be demons out there and we just have to knock it around. We did not take any responsibility, so that part is quite disappointing. The dew came in as we expected after 10 overs, so no one took responsibility that is quite sad."
Batting first Sunrisers Hyderabad scored a modest total of 118 before folding their innings in a mere 18.4 overs. But, the defending champions failed to chase a target after being bowled out for 87 in 18.5 overs. In the chase, only two Mumbai batsmen reached double figures, Suryakumar Yadav (34) and Krunal Pandya (24), as the hosts suffered a 31-run loss - their fifth defeat in six IPL matches.
The Sri-lankan legend clearly looked unhappy the way Hardik Pandya has been playing in this season so far and went on to advise him to work harder on his game for success.
"Every year you can't bat the same way, if people don't evolve and improve, there is no progress. Young guys like Hardik will learn that and need to work harder, the talent alone will not get you," said Jayawardene.
The former Mumbai batsmen believed, they should have exploited the young attack of Sunrisers Hyderabad in absence of their leading bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
"We didn't play with our heads today. We really didn't have to take chances against their main bowlers. We had to knock it around and
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who went only for 11 runs from his full quota and bagged 2 important wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Krunal Pandya, in Sunrisers Hyderabad's 31-run win, said his conventional quick arm action has helped him.
"I'm a little bit different from other leg spinners. I bowl quicker than them and I have a quick arm action, which makes it difficult (for the batsmen) to judge which way the ball is going. That's the plus point for me. I'm taking advantage of that and that's helping me," Khan said.
After a below-par performance in last two games where he shelled out 55 and 48 runs respectively, the young bowler said he revamped his game plan of not bowling full length rather trying to pitch in good areas.Ā
"I bowled a little bit fuller in the last two games which didn't help me and I was punished. The only thing today was to bowl in a good-length area as much as possible. The only thing was line and length, that's what I have worked on and it's a positive," said the 19-year-old star.Ā
After the first innings, when SRH only scored 118 and no one believed that they could clinch out a win out of this total, Khan said his team hinge on the bowlers to hand them a win after their batting failure.
"We did not have a good a total on the board, but (we knew) we had a very good bowling attack. It was about believing in ourselves. Wicket isn't as easy (to bat on). If we can't do it, we won't let them do it either. So everyone was positive and doing their best," the leg-spinner replied.
