Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) head coach Simon Katich credited skipper Virat Kohli and his team for winning the first two games of the season as they defeated SunRisers Hyderabad by six runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday.
David Warner's half-century had put SRH on course for a victory but Shahbaz Ahmed ran through the middle-order to help RCB register a thrilling six-run win on Wednesday. SRH was 115/2 before the start of the 17th over. But Ahmed scalped three wickets in that over and turned the tide in favour of RCB. He bagged Jonny Bairstow (12), Manish Pandey (38) and Abdul Samad (0).
After the 17th over, SRH's score read 116/5 and the side managed to reach 143/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
"It certainly gets tense but I think the spirit with which they played was fantastic in both games. So, regardless of the result, we are really proud of the way they go about it. The fact we got over the line both times is great but if we hadn't got over the line the fact we fought really hard and stayed in the contest as long as we did, particularly, tonight when Warner and Pandey were putting on a very good partnership and things have got there in their favour.
"We also felt that we are only one wicket away because it is a hard wicket to start on as a new batsman. We found out that in our innings they certainly found that at the back end of the innings as well. Credit to Virat and boys for hanging in there and getting the wickets at the right time which opened the game for us," Katich said in a video posted by the franchise on Twitter.
{{/usCountry}}"We also felt that we are only one wicket away because it is a hard wicket to start on as a new batsman. We found out that in our innings they certainly found that at the back end of the innings as well. Credit to Virat and boys for hanging in there and getting the wickets at the right time which opened the game for us," Katich said in a video posted by the franchise on Twitter.
{{/usCountry}}Glenn Maxwell scored a gutsy half-century to ensure that RCB, despite losing a flurry of wickets in the second half of their innings, set up a 150-run target.
On Maxwell, who scored his first half-century in IPL since 2016, Katich said, "He has been magnificent. He has had a big role for us in the field helping Virat with the field positioning and getting guys in the right places at the right time. He has really embraced that, he has taken a lot of young guys under his wing at field practice and worked with them on that aspect of the game."
Director of Cricket Mike Hesson said the players are clear about their role and they are sticking to their plans.
"We are not getting too far ahead of ourselves but really happy with the work ethic of everybody and everybody is confident and staying in your line. Everybody knows what their job is and we are all clear around that. We are not getting carried away with two really good wins on the back of some good performances and a number of different players contributing," said Hesson.
RCB will next lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. (ANI)