‘Required rate not getting out of control was the real beauty of SRH’s chase’: Chawla

New Delhi, April 30 (IANS) Former India spinner Piyush Chawla credited Sunrisers Hyderabad batters for executing a near-perfect run chase against Mumbai Indians, highlighting that at no point their asking run rate spiralled out of control.

Chasing a daunting 244 at the Wankhede Stadium, SRH produced one of the most dominant batting performances of the season, with their top order setting the tone early and the middle order ensuring there were no stumbles along the way.

“You have to give full credit to the batters. We know that teams like Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad are capable of chasing such totals, and they showed that again. They came out with clear intent in the Powerplay and, importantly, didn’t lose a wicket. They even put pressure on Jasprit Bumrah early, taking nearly 30 runs off his first two overs. After that, the rest of the batters contributed well. At no stage did the required rate get out of control. In fact, it stayed below the asking rate for most of the innings. That was the real beauty of this chase,” Chawla told JioStar.

The foundation of the chase was laid by the openers, with Travis Head playing a key role through a brisk half-century that put Mumbai’s bowlers under immediate pressure.

Chawla also noted that a bit of fortune played its part in Head’s innings, helping him build momentum at a crucial stage.

“Sometimes you need a bit of luck when you’re not among the runs, and that’s exactly what happened with him. There was a faint edge that didn’t result in an appeal. Moments like these can change an innings. I’ve noticed that whenever he plays against India or against Mumbai Indians, he seems to bat with a different level of confidence,” he added.

–IANS

vi/bc