'There were no devils in the pitch, and we could have been more proactive throughout the innings'
Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Brian Lara has blamed his side's batters for muddling the run chase against Delhi Capitals, saying they left it too late and needed to be more "proactive" and "enterprising" in the powerplay.
SRH suffered their third successive loss after going down by seven runs against DC on Monday night.
The hosts paid the price for being too conservative in their approach, making heavy weather of a below-par target of 145 to eventually end their innings at 137 for six.
"There were no devils in the pitch, and we could have been more proactive throughout the innings," Lara said in the post-match press conference.
"We left everything too late. I prefer if my batters are a bit more enterprising and take advantage in Powerplay. We allowed them to take wickets in the middle and cramp us."
The Sunrisers managed just 36 runs in the powerplay before losing half of their side for 85 runs in 14.1 overs.
Heinrich Klaasen (31) and Washington Sundar (24) tried to resurrect the chase but pace duo of Anrich Nortje and Mukesh Kumar bowled well at the death to limit them to 137.
"The first 15 overs were crucial and we should have been in a much better position," said Lara.
"With the fast bowlers coming back, we could get 12 or 13 per over but these guys – Ishant Sharma, Mukesh and Nortje are professionals and they put the balls in the right areas."
"However, we should have chased down that total comfortably. Our bowlers did a good job and our batters needed to do a better job."
Following the loss, Sunrisers were left at the second last spot on the points table and will have to play out of their skins to salvage any hopes of making it to the knockout stage.
"But moving on, we have seven games left and need to regroup quickly. Our backs are against the wall, and there is no doubt about that and we need to take more responsibility moving forward," Lara said.
DC posted a below par 144 for 9 after opting to bat but spinner Kuldeep Yadav said as a team there was always this belief that they can defend the total.
"100 percent we believed as a team and as a bowling unit we did really well throughout in the tournament and this was our chance to show," he said.
"I thought we really bowled well in the powerplay, gave away 35-36 runs. Thereafter myself and Axar, we just kept us in the game in the middle phase and in the last four overs, Nortje and Mukesh bowled really well."
"We didn't get a wicket in the pack but we bowled really well throughout the 20 overs. We kept the pressure on them by not giving the easy boundaries."
Medium-pacer Mukesh Kumar showed nerves of steel as he defended 13 runs in the final over, giving away just five runs.
"He bowled well in the last game as well. He is playing his first IPL, he is improving day by day. Bowling in the death overs are never easy,” said Kuldeep.
Kuldeep also praised skipper David Warner, a former SRH captain, for charting out a plan and giving freedom to the bowlers.
"The planning was superb by the captain. He has played here for seven years. He knows the conditions well and that's why he opted to bat first," he said.
"Wicket was slow and he thought it probably is difficult to chase. As a bowling unit, he believed in us. He gave freedom to each and everyone."
Kuldeep, however, said as a team they will have to improve their batting.
"We lost five games but last couple of games we played really well. As a bowling unit and a fielding unit we did well but I still feel as a batting unit we need to improve and hopefully we will do that in remaining games."
