IPL 2023: We needed to be more proactive and enterprising against DC, says SRH coach Brian Lara – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Hyderabad: Sunrisers Hyderabad coach said the team left things too late in their chase of a modest 145 runs against the Delhi Capitals in the IPL on Monday.

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“There were no devils in the pitch, and we could have been more proactive throughout the innings,” Lara said in the post-match press conference.

“We left everything too late. I prefer if my batters are a bit more enterprising and take advantage in Powerplay. We allowed them to take wickets in the middle and cramp us.”

The defeat was Hyderabad’s third in a row and kept them second from bottom with Delhi rooted to the 10th spot in the IPL standings.

Hyderabad scored just 36 runs in the powerplay overs before going on to lose half of their side for 85 runs in 14.1 overs.

Heinrich Klaasen (31) and Washington Sundar (24) tried to bring the hosts back in the contest but DC seamers Anrich Nortje and Mukesh Kumar bowled well at the death to limit them to 137.

“The first 15 overs were crucial and we should have been in a much better position,” said Lara.

“With the fast bowlers coming back, we could get 12 or 13 per over but these guys – Ishant Sharma, Mukesh and Nortje are professionals and they put the balls in the right areas.”

“However, we should have chased down that total comfortably. Our bowlers did a good job and our batters needed to do a better job.”

SRH need to pick themselves up and gather wins if they are move up in the points table and qualify for the playoffs.

“But moving on, we have seven games left and need to regroup quickly. Our backs are against the wall, and there is no doubt about that and we need to take more responsibility moving forward,” the former West Indies batter said.

Even with a below par 144 runs on the board, Delhi Capitals spinner Kuldeep Yadav said the team believed they had a chance.

“100 percent we believed as a team and as a bowling unit we did really well throughout in the tournament and this was our chance to show,” he said.

“I thought we really bowled well in the powerplay, gave away 35-36 runs. Thereafter myself and Axar (Patel), we just kept us in the game in the middle phase and in the last four overs, Nortje and Mukesh bowled really well.

“We didn’t get a wicket in the pack but we bowled really well throughout the 20 overs. We kept the pressure on them by not giving the easy boundaries.”

In the final over, SRH needed 13 runs but were kept at an arm’s length by medium-pacer Mukesh Kumar, giving away just five runs.

“He bowled well in the last game as well. He is playing his first IPL, he is improving day by day. Bowling in the death overs are never easy,” said Kuldeep.

Kuldeep also praised DC captain David Warner, a former SRH skipper, for using his experience of this venue to perfection.

“The planning was superb by the captain. He has played here for seven years. He knows the conditions well and that’s why he opted to bat first,” he said.

“Wicket was slow and he thought it probably is difficult to chase. As a bowling unit, he believed in us. He gave freedom to each and everyone.”

Kuldeep acknowledged that they need to improve with their batting. In the seven matches so far, Delhi have scored: 143 runs, 162, 142, 172, 151, 128 and 144. Individually, Warner has top-scored with 306 runs and the next batter on the list is Manish Pandey (131 runs).

“We lost five games but last couple of games we played really well. As a bowling unit and a fielding unit we did well but I still feel as a batting unit we need to improve and hopefully we will do that in remaining games.”

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