Hyderabad, April 5 (NationPress) Captain Ishan Kishan praised the determined partnership between Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy, which gave Sunrisers Hyderabad a fighting chance in the match. He expressed satisfaction with the team’s tenacity despite their narrow loss to Lucknow Super Giants in a thrilling last-over finish during the Indian Premier League contest at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

In their pursuit of 157 runs, Lucknow maintained their composure to clinch a five-wicket victory with just one ball remaining. However, Hyderabad fought valiantly, recovering from an early batting collapse to push the match to the final over.

Reflecting on the close loss, Kishan commended his bowlers and fielders for keeping the contest alive until the end, despite having a modest total to defend.

“The bowlers executed their plans effectively today. They targeted the right areas, and the fielders put in tremendous effort. Yet, in these types of tournaments, a couple of boundaries can significantly impact the game. Nevertheless, I’m pleased with how we battled in this match,” he stated post-game.

Earlier, Hyderabad managed to recover from a precarious start, posting 156/9 largely due to a remarkable recovery by Klaasen and Reddy.

After being reduced to 35/4, the duo formed a critical century partnership that revitalized the innings and set up a competitive score.

Kishan acknowledged the significance of their partnership, noting that the early wickets had intensified pressure on the middle order. He stated, “Losing four wickets early puts pressure on the rest of the batsmen. I appreciate Klaasen and Nitish for taking the total deep in a manner that was necessary.”

He also recognized that the batting lineup must improve, highlighting their repeated struggles to post formidable totals. “We need to enhance our batting, especially after so many games where we make it easier for the chasing team,” he remarked.

During Lucknow’s chase, Hyderabad briefly regained control with timely breakthroughs and disciplined bowling during the middle overs. Kishan mentioned that their strategy was to limit singles and induce errors, but Pant's composed approach proved pivotal.

“Absolutely, that was our plan. However, Pant was astute and took singles smartly. Such strategies are crucial when chasing these totals. We must also commend the batters, as Rishabh played exceptionally well,” he added.

Hyderabad also adjusted their bowling strategy late in the innings in search of breakthroughs, a decision Kishan described as instinctive amidst the heat of the contest. “We were acting on a hunch, looking for wickets, and our bowlers performed well in those crucial overs,” he explained.

However, Kishan conceded that a critical burst of boundaries late in the innings shifted momentum firmly in Lucknow’s favor, saying, “As I mentioned, sometimes the margin is minimal. A few boundaries can change the game, and that’s precisely what happened in the 17th over when we conceded several boundaries.”

Despite the loss, Kishan singled out pacer Harshal Patel for his outstanding performance during the tense closing stages. “Harsh bowled exceptionally well, and we want him to maintain that standard,” he concluded.