Series: Indian Premier League, 2016 Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad Date & Time: Apr 23, 08:00 PM LOCAL
Sunrisers should hold their own against Kings
INSPIRATIONAL: Sunrisers Hyderabad needs its skipper David Warner's
abundant energy when it takes on Kings XI Punjab on Saturday.
Shikhar Dhawan’s return to form at Rajkot bodes well for the Hyderabad side
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) should hold its own against
Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) when they meet at the Rajiv Gandhi International
stadium on Saturday.
After those early defeats, the
momentum SRH sought so much came in a surge. Thursday’s 10-wicket away
win against a hitherto undefeated Gujarat Lions must be more than a shot
in the arm for the Eagles.
At home, the conquest of reigning champion Mumbai Indians brought back the belief for the host perhaps.
Shikhar
Dhawan’s return to form at Rajkot bodes well for the Hyderabad side.
His destructive abilities along with those of captain David Warner have
seen the duo dismantle several attacks.
As a trail-blazer, the Sunrisers’ skipper has been nothing short of inspiring, his energy seemingly running down the ranks.
The home side’s bowling unit has hit a purple patch too, spearheaded by the industrious Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The sole bright spot in Punjab’s loss to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Mohali was Shaun Marsh’s unbeaten 56.
Half-centuries
by M. Vijay and Manan Vohra topped up with Glenn Maxwell’s 32 not out
saw the northern side register its lone win by six wickets against
Rising Pune Supergiants.
Much would be required from
the Punjab squad to lift itself up from the bottom of the table. David
Miller was quite optimistic though on the eve of the contest. “Win or
lose, we are keeping positive all the time.
“We haven’t had the greatest of starts and the table is tight now. A win tomorrow will change things a lot,” he surmised.
The
approach to the face-off was no rocket science. “We need to get the
basics right, me as well,” he hastily added when quizzed about how he
motivated his side despite poor personal form. “It’s good to see Shaun
Marsh back among the runs. We didn’t start too well with the ball, but
we finished well,” he noted, on deriving positives from his team’s last
game against KKR.
On what lessons the team had for
17-year-old Armaan Jaffer, Miller said, “He can try and learn as much as
he can on what makes professionals tick. He’s in a great environment
and has a lot to look forward to. He may actually get a game later in
the tournament. ”
The stylish southpaw couldn’t help
but recall his days as a 20-year-old, six years ago. “I didn’t play a
single match but rubbed shoulders with players such as Adam Gilchrist,
David Hussey, Michael Bevan while Jason Gillespie was coach,” he added.
Sunrisers opted not to practise.
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