IPL 2016: Shikhar Dhawan feels Yuvraj Singh's knock made difference in team's victory

Dhawan and Yuvraj in action during the match against the Mumbai Indians on Sunday

Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Shikhar Dhawan said that Yuvraj Singh's knock made a big difference for the team, that helped them defeat Mumbai Indians by 85 runs in Vishakhapatnam on Sunday.

Dhawan (82 off 57) and David Warner (48 off 33) gave a steady start for the team and put up an 85-run partnership. With both Warner and Kane Williamson walking out in succession, Yuvraj's (39 off 23) and Dhawan's pacy innings helped SRH post a comfortable 177 runs on the board.

While it was assumed that Warner's departure would decelerate SRH's innings, both the Indian left-handers put on a fine show, with Dhawan remaining unbeaten. 

Speaking about his partnerships with Warner and Yuvraj, Dhawan said the one with the latter was more crucial as MI were attempting to fight back with their bowling. "It was very crucial for us to build a partnership. So that was our aim when we lost two quick wickets. That's why we took a bit of time and made the game a bit slow for a few overs," Dhawan said during the post-match press conference.

"Once Yuvi paaji (Yuvraj Singh) was also set, we knew that we have to change the gears and get going. Yuvi paaji played amazingly well and the way he was striking the ball, especially (considering) he is coming back after injury, he was middling the ball really nicely. I was telling someone the other day also that hopefully he will strike big for us and he did today. Of course, that made a huge difference to reach our total."

SRH played the match without a frontline spinner, but it did not make much of a difference as the key bowlers were Ashish Nehra and Mustafizur Rahman, who bowled excellent spells picking three wickets each. Barinder Sran and Moises Henriques also chipped in and bundled MI for 92, which is their second biggest defeat in the tournament in terms of margin of runs

"We've got a good bowling unit. Things are working for us now. The decision of choosing the XI is up to the captain and the management. Of course we've got a great fast bowling line-up. When we feel that there's no turn on a wicket, then we decide to go ahead with pacers. For turning pitches, we've got spinners in our squad who we can include in the playing XI.

"The captain and the team staff must've thought that there was no turn, and hence we fielded five seamers," said the Delhi-born batsman, justifying his team's decision to not go for a spinner for two games.  

Dhawan also said that having played at Vishakhapatnam in the previous season was an added advantage, and added that it would be a fresh start for the side when they take on MS Dhoni's Rising Pune Supergiants on 10 May at the same venue. With the win against MI, SRH have moved to the second spot on the points table, with 12 points from nine games.