Shakib Al Hasan: Batting not a concern for SRH

Shakib Al Hasan feels the key to winning the IPL will be how a team performs in the knockout phase of the tournament.

Published : Apr 21, 2018 15:05 IST , HYDERABAD

Shakib Al Hasan says he is happy to receive the support of bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan and head coach Tom Moody.
Shakib Al Hasan says he is happy to receive the support of bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan and head coach Tom Moody.
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Shakib Al Hasan says he is happy to receive the support of bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan and head coach Tom Moody.

Shakib Al Hasan, the seasoned all-rounder of Sunrisers Hyderabad, feels that it is all about taking the momentum till the end of the IPL and not just about the start or what happens in the middle of the League. 

The 31-year-old Bangladesh star cricketer says the key to winning the trophy is how well a team performs in the final phase of the event. "The teams which won the Trophy so far are those which have most of their last games. Those games are important for that is when the players tend to get tired, face fatigue and other factors. They should be mentally and physically much more stronger to deal such situations," he felt.

Read: Stunning Gayle century ends Sunrisers' unbeaten start

Commenting on the game tomorrow against Chennai Super Kings, Shakib says that the positive sign even in the loss against Kings XI Punjab was that the team scored about 180 against Kings XI Punjab despite Shikhar's absence (retired hurt after being hit on elbow when the chase began). 

"I don't think batting is a concern for us. If we bat well and back up our very good bowling attack, we are a very difficult side to beat," says Shakib.  

On bowling with leggie Rashid Khan in tandem, Shakib said they were trying their best to contribute to the team's success. "We are hoping to improve our skills and I am pleased with the way the head coach Tom Moody and bowling coach Murali have been backing me and helping me a lot," he said. 

Shakib felt that the spinners could become more predictable and effective too as the League goes on because the wickets get drier and consequently have a bigger role to play.  

Shakib reminded that every team has a quality batsman who can destroy any bowling attack on his day. "They have been playing for quite a few years now. We have to play our best cricket even while trying to improve upon in some areas," he said when asked whether his team fears another assault from Shane Watson of CSK tomorrow like Chris Gayle took the game away the previous night. 

"We have the balance and depth with very good Indian all-rounders like Manish, Hooda and Yusuf Bhai. But, it all depends on how well we play on the given day," he said. 

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