IPL 2019 | Whole team gathered and cheered for Mumbai in their game against KKR, says VVS Laxman
VVS Laxman has stated that the whole Sunrisers Hyderabad camp had gathered and cheered for Mumbai Indians in their match against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 5. SRH required MI to win the encounter in order to qualify for the playoffs in this season of the Indian Premier League.
Sunrisers Hyderabad were playing their final league match of this Indian Premier League against Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 4. A win in the match would have meant a spot in the playoffs but they failed to qualify. Kolkata Knight Riders were another side which were placed at 12 points and they were required to win their last league match against Mumbai Indians in order to qualify. Even they failed to win and thereby, SRH qualified due to a superior run rate. SRH mentor VVS Laxman did not shy away from the fact that the side was keenly watching the match and wanted MI to defeat KKR.Â
"For the first time in my long association with the IPL, I found myself rooting for another franchise on Sunday night. For Sunrisers Hyderabad to qualify for playoffs, we needed Mumbai Indians to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders in the last match of the league phase. As a group, we gathered in the team room of our hotel in Bangalore to watch the match on the big screen, riding an emotional rollercoaster,” he expressed, reported TOI.
The 2016 champions became the first team in the history of the cash-rich league to qualify with just six wins or 12 points. The mentor shared as to how the side bonded over Sunday’s match.
"In the end, it became an unscheduled team bonding session, with a fun segment thrown in during the innings break. We were delighted when Mumbai completed victory and facilitated our qualification as the fourth-placed team but, having enjoyed a slice of fortune in our progress to the next phase, it is now up to us to make our own luck," asserted the 44-year-old.
The Orange Army will play their eliminator match today, against Delhi Capitals at Vizag. Both the teams have won an away game each against each other and will leave no stones unturned in today’s encounter as a loss will knock them out of the tournament. The Hyderabad-based franchise started their season with three wins in the first four games but the next three victories came in ten matches. The legendary India player reckoned that they will look to end up on a good note and brush aside the previous losses.
"At the start of every IPL campaign, we break the tournament down into two phases. The objective for the first phase is to advance to the playoffs. We have ticked that box. Now, the aim is to keep going as deep as possible in the competition, because for us, every match from here on end is a knockout game. While it is true that we have had a stuttering run, we can ill afford to focus on that," Laxman signed off.
