While fans of Sunrisers Hyderabad were elated to see David Warner’s return to the team and couldn’t stop raving about his instant form, their happiness was short-lived as they lost their opening game to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday.
Despite notching up a good score (181), the Sunrisers lost the match in a close encounter. Regardless, their hope is still high as the upcoming match with Rajasthan Royals comes with the dream of seeing Hyderabad Sunrisers win on their home ground. Therefore, ex-players, experts and analysts state that there’s no need to be disappointed with the initial loss. John Manoj, former HCA Selector and Secretary, says that the T-20 is full of surprises and that fans need not be worried about the loss since it is just the start of the season.
He says, “T-20 can be anybody’s match and the beauty of the game is such that you cannot predict the winner till the last ball. Sunday’s match was just the first game for us, but I am sure the team will pick up as the tournament progresses. Just as Andrew Russell did it for KKR, someone else can do it for our team on another day. Since most of the games are high scoring, all the matches will have nail-biting finishes. David Warner’s return to the side will make the team one of the best in the IPL.”
David Warner during the first IPL match vs KKR.
Former Hyderabad Ranji player Syed Ahmed Quadri, who also played for the Deccan Chargers couldn’t have agreed more. He believes that the team will save the best for the last. Expressing confidence in the team’s performance, Quadri shares, “Sunrisers is a strong team and I am sure they will pick up steam soon.”
Even the fans are not too emotional about the home team’s loss during their opener. They believe that the Sunrisers are a strong side and that they will come good at the right time.
City cricket buff Raju Singh, who has been to almost all the matches in Hyderabad when the home team played, says that he’s not too bothered about the initial defeat.“There are teams who lost the match even after scoring 200 plus, so no score is safe in the T-20. It’s just a matter of how good you are on that day. The team has a good mix of youth and experience, we can peak at the right time,” he says.Yet another cricket fan Vijay Tanneru adds that the team may be short of match practice and it’s just a matter of time before they rise to the occasion.
While fans are being optimistic, cricket expert and analyst Ayaz Memon says that Kane Williamson’s absence may have been one of the reasons the team lost against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
“Since a team can only allow four foreign players, the problem for Sunrisers will be who to leave out if Kane Williamson is fit and back into the team. Williamson’s absence and his calming influence on the team was evidently visible in Sunday’s match,” says Memon.
