Heading into the final over of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT) the match seemed all but wrapped for the 2016 champions. However, some brilliant pinch-hitting by Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan shifted the tide towards GT, who scored 25 runs in the last over to secure an important win for their team.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, SRH skipper Kane Williamson believes that the game was a close one that could have gone in any direction, "It was a fantastic game of cricket that ebbed and flowed throughout the whole 40 overs really. From our perspective, when you have two really strong sides that are playing good cricket going at it, the game is played at very small margins. As we saw going into that last over, it could've gone either way."
"So great learning for us as a side, first time batting first for us as well, so a lot of good learning. Another strong performance against top-of-the-table opposition," he added.
Williamson also lauded IPL debutant Shashank Singh, who smashed 25 runs off the last over of GT's bowling, which was being bowled by Lockie Ferguson, "Fantastic finish [in the first innings] and Shashank has obviously been in the side for five games now and hasn't quite had an opportunity, so he came out and played beautifully well and gave us a great opportunity to post a strong total.
"But credit to Gujarat. They played outstandingly well. They're a side that are winning some of those fine margins at the moment and credit to where they are on the table. But for us there was a lot of good in that game and we'll take the positives," he said.
Another player who received praise from the skipper was pacer Umran Malik, who picked up his first five-fer in the IPL, "He's sort of been bowling beautifully really and making a difference but it was only a matter of time before he would have a day like this. An outstanding performance from him, a match-winner there."
It was Marco Jansen's final over that turned the match on its head. He also finished the match having conceded 63 runs, the most by a bowler while chasing in the history of the IPL. However, Kane expects the South African to bounce back from this disappointment.
"He's a strong competitor and he'll bounce back nicely. It's one of those things. T20 cricket, as we know there's been some close games and this was another one of those. For us, the focus is about the cricket that we want to play and it was another good performance. We didn't quite get the win but sometimes you're beaten by a better side or perhaps a side on the day that wins some fine moments," Williamson said.
