SRH deserving winners, says Sunil Joshi

We knew it would be a high-scoring game and Abhishek Sharma played very well. Due credit to him, but we had a few missed opportunities, says Joshi

HYDERABAD: Sunil Joshi, spin bowling coach of Punjab Kings, was not really surprised at the nature of the wicket (which was a flat wicket full of runs compared to the one for the previous game against Gujarat Giants which helped the bowlers a bit) on which his team lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL league match here on Saturday night.

“We knew it would be a high-scoring game and Abhishek (Sharma) played very well. Due credit to him, but we had a few missed opportunities,” said Joshi who is familiar with the wicket having coached Hyderabad Ranji squad in the past.

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“I think in T20 cricket it’s always hit and miss and Abhishek encashed on the misses today. It was always an opportunity to take early wickets and restrict the opposition. That’s where we missed the opportunity, a few catches went down,” Joshi reflected on the defeat.

“I think positive is, you know, batters are definitely in top form and bowling needs to get into more dot ball percentage which we missed bowling on today’s wicket,” he said.

“On a good wicket, the only difference could be the dot ball percentage in the middle overs. So, that’s the key and half chances we couldn’t latch on to,” Joshi said.

“When it started off, we thought that it’s going to be a bit more than that (setting a target of 246). I think we missed in the 18th, 19th overs when we didn’t get many runs, big overs. So, only we got the last over we got runs. I think maybe 20 more runs would have been better,” he explained.

“But even then finally it’s latching on to your opportunities, especially while defending. I think the bowlers didn’t fall. I mean, it’s a good true wicket. People come to see more sixes and boundaries rather than five wicket hauls,” Joshi said with a smile.

“So, it was an opportunity for us to do well. But fair enough, we missed our chances. They played well, they deserve to be winners,” he signed off.