IPL 2022: RCB Looked To Put SRH's Speedster Umran Malik Under The Pump Early On, Reveals Wanindu Hasaranga
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has revealed that the top-order was very keen on going after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) trump card, Umran Malik, early on and not let him settle down.
The ploy worked as Faf du Plessis and Rajat Patidar scored 20 runs off the 23-year-old pacer which forced Kane Williamson to look for other options. In the end, Umran bowled just 2 overs and SRH had to use part-time spinner, Abhishek Sharma, to fill his quota.
“He (Umran) bowls fast and much back of the length balls, so our batters, especially on this wicket where there was no bounce, were looking for him. When we scored 20 runs in his first over, that put him under a lot of pressure. That’s the plan our batters had in their mind,” Hasaranga was quoted as saying in the post-match press conference.
“Very happy with my position in the team” – Wanindu Hasaranga
Hasaranga is the leading wicket-taker for RCB and is second on the list for the Purple Cap, only behind fellow leggie, Yuzvendra Chahal. While Chahal has taken 22 wickets in 11 matches for Rajasthan Royals (RR), Hasaranga now has 21 scalps in 12 games.
Hasaranga took the Player of the Match award against SRH following stellar figures of 5/18. One of the key reasons for his success is the clarity of his role, which is to break partnerships in the middle overs.
“I am very happy with my position in the team. As I said before, I am a wicket-taking bowler so I try to get wickets in the middle overs, which put the opposition under pressure.”
“This year, five Sri Lankan players are playing in the IPL and four of us are really doing well, especially Maheesh (Theekshana), (Dushmantha) Chameera, myself and Bhanuka (Rajapaksa). So it’s like a good experience for us when we go back and perform in Sri Lanka,” Hasaranga added.
