Bangalore: Happy after clinching a last-ball thriller against Bangladesh in the ICC World T20 league encounter at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bagalore, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said there were quite a few things that were discussed before the last ball being bowled by Hardik Pandya.
“One thing was for sure we didn’t want to bowl a Yorker, it had to be back of a length, but how back of a length, that was the question. You don't want to bowl a wide. We were deciding out field and I think he executed it really well,” said Dhoni.
"I don't want to say everything, but the decision was what length to bowl, what line to bowl. If you are going for Yorkers, what is the field and also keep in mind about the strength of the Yorker. And also I knew, once the 20th over starts, you can take all the time you want. I can’t be fined,” Dhoni said, adding that Mahmudullah, who was batting well and got out at a crucial time, would learn from this mistake.
“Often it does, at times you look to finish it with the big shot. And if you think you have wickets in hand, you think others can finish it. And when you are batting well, you go for your shots. It’s learning for Mahmudullah. That’s what cricket is all about, if that had gone for a six, it was a great shot. Great courage! That's what cricket is,” said Dhoni.
Praising Bumrah, Dhoni said he bowled really well. “H was under pressure in the second over that he bowled with the field restrictions. It was a reflection of his misfield and the dropped catch. But he had to forget about what happened and that's what we told him. I feel he is somebody who is very good with the Yorkers and he did very well. There were two occasions when we had to make the game and instead of using our part-timers and we bowled our frontliners. It was a very good bowling effort,” he said.
“We were on top till the last three balls, we could have taken singles. But anyways, bad luck. The last three balls, we lost three wickets, we needed only two runs off three balls," Mashrafe said, adding, “Specially today it is really disappointing. Overall we played well, except against Pakistan.”
R Ashwin, who was Man of the Match, said, “We've never really got together and worried so much. I don’t have anything left. I'm drained after today's game. I'll just crash now.”
Ashwin too was in praise for Bumrah. “He had put down a catch, he was two overs for 22, he was down, but Bumrah came back for us. I probably gave him a cheeky idea to try a mankad in the end. We might have taken flak, but why not. We have not probably batted well. Today, we are not real contenders for the tournament, but if it improves we will be.”
One thing was for sure that we didn’t want to bowl a Yorker on the last ball: Dhoni
Bangalore: Happy after clinching a last-ball thriller against Bangladesh in the ICC World T20 league encounter at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bagalore, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said there were quite a few things that were discussed before the last ball being bowled by Hardik Pandya
“One thing was for sure we didn’t want to bowl a Yorker, it had to be back of a length, but how back of a length, that was the question. You don't want to bowl a wide. We were deciding out field and I think he executed it really well,” said Dhoni.
"I don't want to say everything, but the decision was what length to bowl, what line to bowl. If you are going for Yorkers, what is the field and also keep in mind about the strength of the Yorker. And also I knew, once the 20th over starts, you can take all the time you want. I can’t be fined,” Dhoni said, adding that Mahmudullah, who was batting well and got out at a crucial time, would learn from this mistake.
“Often it does, at times you look to finish it with the big shot. And if you think you have wickets in hand, you think others can finish it. And when you are batting well, you go for your shots. It’s learning for Mahmudullah. That’s what cricket is all about, if that had gone for a six, it was a great shot. Great courage! That's what cricket is,” said Dhoni.
Praising Bumrah, Dhoni said he bowled really well. “H was under pressure in the second over that he bowled with the field restrictions. It was a reflection of his misfield and the dropped catch. But he had to forget about what happened and that's what we told him. I feel he is somebody who is very good with the Yorkers and he did very well. There were two occasions when we had to make the game and instead of using our part-timers and we bowled our frontliners. It was a very good bowling effort,” he said.
“We were on top till the last three balls, we could have taken singles. But anyways, bad luck. The last three balls, we lost three wickets, we needed only two runs off three balls," Mashrafe said, adding, “Specially today it is really disappointing. Overall we played well, except against Pakistan.”
R Ashwin, who was Man of the Match, said, “We've never really got together and worried so much. I don’t have anything left. I'm drained after today's game. I'll just crash now.”
Ashwin too was in praise for Bumrah. “He had put down a catch, he was two overs for 22, he was down, but Bumrah came back for us. I probably gave him a cheeky idea to try a mankad in the end. We might have taken flak, but why not. We have not probably batted well. Today, we are not real contenders for the tournament, but if it improves we will be.”
