"It was competitive total definitely on that surface" - SRH captain Kane Williamson after beating CSK
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Kane Williamson was a happy man after his side registered their first win of IPL 2022 on Saturday. They beat Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets at the DY Patil Sports Stadium.
A 89-run opening stand set the run chase for the Hyderabad franchise. Williamson (32) failed to convert the start, but Abhishek Sharma (75) and Rahul Tripathi (39) made significant contributions to drive their side home.
A winning feeling that we're going to remember throughout the night. 🧡
#CSKvSRH #OrangeArmy #ReadyToRise #TATAIPL https://t.co/1O9sWzWckS
SRH eventually chased down the total with 14 balls to spare. Kane Williamson later revealed that the ball was gripping on the wicket and it wasn't too easy to bat on. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, the Kiwi cricketer said:
"It (target) was competitive definitely on that surface. The ball held on the wicket a little bit. It was great that we were able to build partnerships. Fantastic knock from Abhishek at the top of the order, took the pressure off everyone else and Rahul Tripathi - an outstanding contribution there. The partnerships were key."
Hyderabad were a relieved side, coming on the back of two defeats. Kane Williamson stressed that they wanted to focus on their game and play with freedom. He added:
"Largely staying calm and staying on task. We know every team is strong. For us, it's focusing on our cricket and wanting to make those subtle adjustments, play smart and adjust to conditions. We are starting to see games played on surfaces once, twice. For us, it's just looking into each match, targeting it, committing to what's important to us as a team and going out and playing with freedom."
"We will change our focus on that" - Kane Williamson keen on looking forward
Abhi-Shook the bowling attack with a blitz that will be remembered. 🔥
Take a bow, @IamAbhiSharma4. 🧡
#CSKvSRH #OrangeArmy #ReadyToRise #TATAIPL https://t.co/Xswb4VoAat
Sunrisers Hyderabad have revived their lost confidence after a dominant win against the defending champions. With this done and dusted, Williamson said that they will now focus on the fixture to continue their winning momentum.
He concluded:
"Everybody is trying to make contributions as much as they can for this team. It was great today to come away with the win. We have another match in a couple of days, we'll change our focus to that."
With the win, Sunrisers Hyderabad jumped to eighth spot in the table with two points from three games. They will lock horns with the Gujarat Titans in their next game on Monday at the DY Patil Sports Stadium.