KKR vs SRH: Yuvraj Singh rates Abhishek Sharma better than him in the aspect
Published - 25 May 2024, 05:59 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:12 AM
Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma bowled his full quota of overs in Qualifier 2 and also picked up two crucial wickets as SRH beat RR in the match to set up a date with KKR to play in the IPL 2024 final.
Abhishek Sharma dismissed Sanju Samson and RR Impact Player Shimron Hetmyer to turn the game in SRH's favor. He was given his full quota of overs by SRH skipper Pat Cummins as the move turned out to be a masterstroke. He and Shahbaz Ahmed culminated for five wickets to break the back of the RR chase.
After the match, Abhishek spoke about how former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh helped him improve his bowling skills. Abhishek is mentored by Yuvraj, who possesses similar skills that helped India lift the 2011 ODI World Cup at home. Yuvraj was later named the Player of the Tournament for his all-round efforts.
Yuvi Paaji Said I Can Be A Better Bowler Than Him: Abhishek Sharma
"Whenever I had conversation about bowling with Yuvi paaji, he always said I can be a better bowler than him," Abhishek said in a video on the IPL website after the match. That thing I always had in my mind. I think he will be happy as well that I could contribute with bowling" the youngster said about Yuvraj Singh.
The SRH batter also went on to speak about how his father who was also a left-arm spinner.
"I think my dad will be very happy because he was a left-arm spinner and he has been working really hard on my bowling. But somehow I knew that if I keep working on my bowling, I can do something for my team because I have that in myself, I would say. From junior cricket only, I have been bowling a lot and taking a few wickets" Abhishek added.
Sanju Samson won the toss and asked SRH to bat first. Heinrich Klaasen scored 50 off 34 balls and played a crucial role in the team finishing 175/9 in their 20 overs. Travis Head (34) and Rahul Tripathi (37) also played crucial knocks and helped the team get there.
RR lost wickets at regular intervals. However, the introduction of the two spinners changed the momentum of the game in SRH's favor and the move to sustain the two spinners proved to be a masterstroke. There was no dew which aided the spinners and the low-slow track at the Chepauk helped them turn the ball as well.
"The captain and coach told me depending on the situation we will use you, my role was to bat lower down the order and they said if we collapse we will send you. When I was batting, I felt that this wicket has something and the way Avesh and Sandeep bowled showed. I'm feeling proud at having got the Man of the Match in such a game, the atmosphere is quite relaxed in the camp. We will celebrate only after winning the final, tonight we will just relax," said Shahbaz Ahmed who was named the Man of the Match.
SRH will now play KKR in the IPL 2024 final on Sunday, May 26. This is the third IPL final for Sunrisers Hyderabad while the fourth for Kolkata Knight Riders.
