IPL 2020: After massive eight-wicket loss, RR skipper Steve Smith says ‘We needed more runs to defend’

Dubai [UAE]: After a massive eight-wicket loss against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Steve Smith said that the side failed to score more runs in the first innings.

According to Smith, the wicket got better as the game progressed and helped SRH to chase the total.

Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar played unbeaten knocks of 83 and 52 respectively to take their team over the line. For this effort, Pandey was also adjudged as the ‘Man of the Match’.

“It (the wicket) got better as the game went on. It was slow and stopping in the first innings, it was one of those wickets which was quite hard to start on. We needed some more runs in the first innings. I cannot put my finger on anything, there are plenty of good players and good teams. We have not been able to pull back to back wins. We just need to keep winning and do not know how things will work for us mathematically, we have to keep winning, that is our job now,” Smith told host broadcaster Star Sports after the match.

Rajasthan started well as pacer Jofra Archer bagged two crucial wickets of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow in the initial overs. Smith felt that he should have given Archer one more over to put SRH at the backfoot.

“We started well. Jofra taking two big wickets early but we could not keep the foot on the pedal. Vijay played smart innings and Manish took the game on and played really nicely. I consulted a few other boys, it was talked about (giving Jofra another over up front) but opted against it and in hindsight, after what happened, probably would have given him one more over. It was on my mind,” Smith said.

Earlier, Jason Holder’s three-wicket haul helped SRH restrict Rajasthan Royals to 154/6 in the allotted twenty overs.

Sanju Samson and Ben Stokes played knocks of 36 and 30 respectively but the Royals kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and as a result, the side was restricted to under the 160-run mark.