IPL 2021: Kumar Sangakkara rues RR’s ‘careless’ batting after loss to DC in Abu Dhabi

Rajasthan Royals’ Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara reckoned that the RR batters could have refrained from being ‘careless’ in the first 10 overs of their run-chase against Delhi Capitals on Saturday. On September 25, the Royals lost their fifth game in the IPL 2021 after their hefty 33-run defeat at the hands of Rishabh Pant’s DC at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

After being asked to chase 155, the Royals lost the wickets of Liam Livingstone, Yashasvi Jaiswal and David Miller inside the powerplay. To rub salt into RR’s wounds, the fall of wickets in quick succession also led to the required run-rate escalating at an alarming rate. Sanju Samson stayed unbeaten on 70 off 53 with eight fours and six, but he didn’t get much support from the others.

Apart from him, Mahipal Lomror breached the single-digit mark, but the latter played at a strike rate of 79.17 before Kagiso Rabada dismissed him. However, despite the failure, Sangakkara sounded confident in the team’s middle order for the remaining games.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the lower middle-order, says Kumar Sangakkara

“154 was a great total to limit Delhi Capitals to, (what) we needed to do was not be careless in the first 10 overs. Unfortunately, Delhi came hard at us, they bowled smartly and we weren’t up to it,” Sangakkara said in the post-match press conference.

“So, I wouldn’t worry too much about the lower middle-order, they got us out of lot of trouble in the first half of the IPL and I am sure, they will come good, as we go along.”

“Chasing 154, should have been done with the batting that we had, especially starting from the top-order and downwards, and we weren’t good enough on the day,” he stated.

Prior to the game, the Royals were dealt with blows after Evin Lewis and Chris Morris failed to make the cut due to “injury concerns”. RR roped in South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi and David Miller, but both of them were unable to make a significant impact.

“It is unfortunate that we had a couple of injury concerns that meant that Lewis and Morris didn’t play, but that is just temporary and we have the options,” Sangakkara added.