Despite scoring 228 batting first, Rajasthan Royals failed to restrict Sunrisers Hyderabad as they easily chased down the target in 18.3 overs to clinch a five-wicket win in an IPL match on Saturday. RR skipper Riyan Parag blamed the dropped catches by his side for the loss.
Abhishek Sharma was dropped twice and he made the most of it by scoring 57, also putting up 132-run partnership with Ishan Kishan, who scored 74 runs. Nitish Kumar Reddy, who scored 36, was also dropped when he was batting on 14.
“I think skill-wise, we executed pretty nicely, but I think we dropped a few too many catches,” Parag said after the match.
“Quality players like Abhishek and everyone who batted, I feel you can’t really drop catches of them and you can’t really give them second chances. And they took them, so credit to that. But we could have been better on the field,” he added.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck a 37-ball 103 off 36 balls for the third fastest century in IPL but his effort went in vain as the fielders failed to hold on to the catches. Parag says RR could have got 10-15 runs more.
“We left like 10-15 on the table. To be honest, they bowled really well in the 18th and the 19th over. They executed really good yorkers. I felt not much we could have done. But best-case scenario, I think we would have liked another 15 runs,” he said.
Parag lauded Jofra Archer for hitting the ground running with a fiery opening spell and returning impressive figures of 2 for 34.
“He’s been such a sensation this whole season. Another classical performance for him. Unlucky as well, a lot of top-edges in between the keeper and the fielders. So yeah, a few unlucky chances, a few chances that we gave away,” he said.
Kishan, who was adjudged the Player of the Match for his 31-ball 74, said it is important to play fearless cricket after he was struck on the helmet by Archer on the first ball he faced.
“We were able to restrict them to under 230 and we were able to do that. It was quite fun to lead the team for seven games. He is a tremendous captain (Pat Cummins), so I was just thinking about my batting and keeping,” Kishan said.
“You have to play your shots and not be in fear. I think it was pretty quick and it got extra bounce than what I expected, fortune favours the brave. We were pretty calm and you have to have a good powerplay, I was communicating with Abhishek on what is happening and what is the run-rate.”
SRH skipper Cummins, who played his first IPL game of the season, said he was pleased to see how the match turned out for him.
“You are never quite sure how it’s gonna come out first game. But the preparation was good and I think I have played enough to maybe pick it up a bit earlier than I would have 10 years ago when I first started,” said Cummins.
