Sharma: We keep people on their toes
Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma was delighted that his team managed to fight back from a tricky situation to record their first win of the Indian Premier League.
The Mumbai Indians beat the Kolkata Knight Riders to bounce back from their defeat to the Rising Pune Supergiant in their opener.
Sharma joked that the Mumbai Indians are known for keeping people on their toes after some late hitting from Nitesh Rana and Hardik Pandya helped them eclipse the target of 179.
Speaking at the post-match presentation Sharma said: “Winning the game was important. We’re known for this – we keep people on their toes. Very happy with this win. Here at Wankhede, we back our players to get the runs with the dew coming in and the flat pitch.”
The Mumbai franchise found themselves in all sorts of trouble needing 60 to win with just 23 balls left after Kieron Pollard had holed out to a wide one from Trent Boult.
In the end Rana smashed a fifty and even though he fell in the penultimate over Hardik managed to get the Mumbai Indians over the line with some help from a few generous KKR fielders.
Sharma said of the two batsmen: “We were hoping Rana and Hardik would finish it off and they did. It’s important for any team to have young players come in like that and finish the job. I hope they repeat it.”
Sharma is eager for his team to keep improving on what was a thrilling but flawed performance at the Wankhede stadium.
He said: “There’s still room for improvement. We don’t want to be in the back seat. We know the things we didn’t do well today and we’ll go back to the drawing board before our next game.”
His opposite number Gautam Gambhir was off the field for much of KKR’s defence of the total and was understandably disappointed that his team couldn’t close out the win.
Gambhir said: “We put a good score on the board in the last three overs. But Hardik and Rana played unbelieavable innings. If we’d taken Hardik’s catch, anything might have happened.
“We back our bowlers to do the job. Woakes and Boult are experienced too. It’s just a matter of keeping our nerves calm.
“We panicked a little in the end with the misfield and the dropped catch. It’s a good chasing ground – you could chase anything. There was a bit of dew on the ground that didn’t make it easy for spinners either, but we needed to hold our nerves in the end.”
Gambhir could provide no news on the injury that forced explosive batsman Chris Lynn from the field: “I have no update on Lynn, haven’t heard from the physio yet.”
Latest
-
News
On this day in 2018: Australian trio banned after ball-tampering saga
The trio were handed their punishments on March 28, 2018.
-
County Cricket
Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware
Stewart has guided Surrey to three County Championship wins during his decade in charge.
-
Women's Cricket
Maia Bouchier smashes 91 as England Women seal T20 series victory
England made 177 for three and then restricted New Zealand to 130 for seven.
-
County Cricket
Yorkshire boosted by Harry Brook and Joe Root’s early-season availability
Both players are not at the Indian Premier League.
-
England
Ollie Pope ‘itching’ to get back scoring runs after ‘frustrating’ tour of India
The England vice-captain hit a superb 196 in Hyderabad, but averaged only 14.75 in the next four Tests of the India series.
-
Women's Cricket
Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return
Australia will host England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Women’s Ashes early next year.
-
County Cricket
Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign
Brook withdrew from England’s Test tour of India in January due to personal reasons.
-
England
England spinner Tom Hartley expects his exploits in India to be ‘life changing’
Hartley’s second-innings haul of seven for 62 in Hyderabad delivered one England’s greatest ever overseas victories.
-
Women's Cricket
Heather Knight urges more composure from England after New Zealand collapse
The tourists needed just 29 from 29 balls with eight wickets in hand.
-
Australia
On this day in 2018: Australia ‘sandpapergate’ ball-tampering controversy erupts
The incident led to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft being banned from playing for Australia.