David Hussey hopeful of making IPL-V playoffs – Cricket News Update
Upbeat by his side’s back-to-back convincing wins over Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the stand-in captain of Kings XI Punjab, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DJ-Hussey-c1380, is hopeful his side can qualify for the next round of the ongoing fifth instalment of the lucrative
Indian Premier League.
Speaking to the media reporters after his side’s four-wicket win over a formidable Royal Challengers Bangalore side in their return-leg IPL match on Wednesday, Hussey said that they have played good cricket so far in the tournament and hoped to progress
to the next round.
"I have not mastered the Twenty20 format but I'm really enjoying the IPL,” said the hard-hitting middle-order batsman, who took over as KXIP captain from countryman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adam-Gilchrist-c918, after the latter sustained a hamstring injury during a match against Kolkata
Knight Riders on April 18.
“We are playing some good cricket and we hope we can make the semi-finals and shock a few teams," he hoped.
The prolific Punjab all-rounder http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Azhar-Mahmood-c1116, who was adjudged as the Man of the Match last night for his impressive figures of 3 for 20 in four overs, is also upbeat about his side’s chances of making the tournament playoffs.
“We have lifted our game after making a slow start to the tournament. We are playing good cricket…Hopefully, if the guys can keep on performing consistently, we can easily make the knockout stages,” said Mahmood after the match.
Meanwhile, the injured regular skipper of Kings XI http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Punjab-c833 Adam Gilchrist lavished praise on Hussey’s captaincy against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
"Regardless of the little mix-ups at the end, the captaincy today was amazing. To manage his way through our bowling innings [without http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RJ-Harris-c2330] was a terrific effort," Gilchrist said.
In the absence of Gilchrist, Hussey has led the side in five IPL matches, winning three of them, all away. Under Hussey, KXIP outclassed http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820 Indians, Chennai Super Kings and most recently Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Gilchrist had left the side at number 8 and now Kings XI find themselves at fourth spot on the points table, with five wins in 10 games. They will next host http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rajasthan-c837 Royals on Saturday, May 5, 2012.
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