'Deccan Chargers keen to win more matches at home'

Deccan Chargers Hyderabad team is keen on winning more matches in the upcoming fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) before the home crowd here, its coach Darren Lehmann said in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

"With regard to the number of winning games before the home crowd...We will change that this year. We will play well here and try to win more games here," Lehmann said on the sidelines of a function wherein UltraTech Cement Limited, announced its partnership with Deccan Chargers team.

Through this association, UltraTech Cement will be the official team sponsor of the Hyderabad-based team.

"We want to win more games here because it will help in bringing more crowds to the stadium and we will get more support as there had been no World cup matches in Hyderabad this year. We hope to put much better performance before the home crowd this year," he said.

Deccan Chargers team, which finished last in the inaugural season of the IPL and emerged champions in the Indian Premier League-II, is playing seven matches at the Rajiv Gandhi Uppal stadium here this year. The Chargers, which will begin its campaign on April 9 with a match against Rajasthan Royals, has had a below-par performance in terms of winning games before the home crowd in the earlier editions of the IPL.

Lehmann also said Sri Lankan team captain Kumar Sangakkara, who will lead the Deccan Chargers team this season is a fantastic player and is one of the best batsmen in the world.

"As a leader he (Sangakkara) did a great job for Sri Lanka (in the recently concluded World cup) and we expect that experience comes in good for Deccan Chargers also."

Asked on the most challenging team to face in the IPL tournament this time, Lehmann said "Every team is going to be tough. It's going to be a really tough competition this time around."

"I think we really have got some exciting good young players. We are looking forward to all our players to play well in the tournament and to put up a good show with both bat and ball," Lehmann added.