Following Delhi Capitals' (DC) defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), their assistant coach Pravin Amre shed light on the team's strategy behind using Lalit Yadav during the powerplay against Orange Army on April 20. The decision came after a rough start by Khaleel Ahmed, who leaked 19 runs in the opening over. Captain Rishabh Pant then turned to Lalit Yadav, a player featuring in only his second IPL 2024 match. This move surprised many, as Lalit wasn't expected to bowl against the in-form SRH openers, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, especially during the crucial powerplay overs.
Unfortunately, the gamble didn't pay off. Head capitalised on the opportunity, smashing two sixes and a four off Lalit's first over. Sharma joined the party with a boundary of his own, adding to Lalit's woes. The first over for Lalit ended with a hefty 21 runs conceded.
Despite the expensive first over, Pant surprisingly retained faith in Lalit, giving him another powerplay over. However, the story remained the same. Sharma found his rhythm again, slamming two sixes, while Head chipped in with one. Lalit finished his second over conceding another 20 runs, taking his figures to a forgettable 0 for 41 in just two overs. He didn't bowl any further in the match.
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DC assistant coach defends Lalit Yadav's powerplay role
Rishabh Pant's choice to utilise Lalit Yadav for two powerplay overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad's in-form openers raised eyebrows, with many questioning the absence of a more experienced bowler. Addressing the criticism after the match, DC assistant coach Pravin Amre explained the rationale behind the decision. He revealed that the team management strategically planned to deploy Lalit, leveraging his familiarity with the home ground conditions. Amre acknowledged the struggles faced by other teams' pacers against the explosive duo of Head and Sharma. He explained that DC opted to experiment with the off-spinner against these left-handed batsmen. However, Amre also acknowledged the credit due to the batters for their exceptional display.
"SRH's strength was the openers. The other teams also, they could not control it. We thought that Lalit Yadav is local, Delhi boy, so we took a chance on that. We have to give credit to Abhishek, the way he handled the spinners," Amre told the media.
Sunrisers Hyderabad obliterate powerplay record
SRH batsmen came out swinging, amassing a record-breaking 125 runs in the powerplay overs against Delhi Capitals. This phenomenal feat eclipsed the previous IPL record of 105 runs set by Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2017. Carrying on the momentum, SRH piled up a massive total of 266 runs for the loss of just 7 wickets in their innings. Their bowling attack then restricted DC to 199, securing a convincing victory by 67 runs. This win propelled them to the second position in the IPL points table, with five wins under their belt.
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