Kumar Sangakkara gave me the confidence: Anand Rajan
Deccan Chargers (DC) fast bowler, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Anand-Rajan-c44173, has claimed that his skipper, Kumar Sangakkara, gave him the confidence to bowl the final over of the match against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 59th game of the cash
rich tournament was played at the Wankhede Stadium, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mumbai-c820 on Saturday, May 14, 2011.
According to Rajan, “Sanga wanted me to bowl the last over. He was confident that I will do the job. The two wickets I had taken earlier (T Suman and Sachin Tendulkar) must have given him the belief. He had told me in the 19th over itself that I have to
bowl the final over.”
Rajan admitted that he was under a lot of pressure, as it was his maiden game of the lucrative league and he was bowling against one of the most destructive batsmen in the world, Kieron Pollard.
The 24-year-old stated, “Frankly speaking, the pressure was too much on me in my first IPL match. It increased when Pollard hit me for two big shots and then I bowled a wide. It was the kind of situation I had never faced in my career. One more error and
it was all over for me.”
MI required 26 runs off the last over and they had the right man in the middle to do the job. Rajan was smashed for a massive six off the very first delivery he bowled in the final over, this put immense pressure on the youngster. He lost control of his
line and the next ball drifted down the leg-side for a wide.
Sangakkara collected the wide ball down the leg and MI needed 17 off the last four deliveries with Pollard on song. His next ball was hit away for a couple of runs, followed by a four.
The DC skipper then walked over to his bowler and asked him not to panic, as one good ball would do it for the Chargers. This was exactly what happened, as the very next ball was ballooned in the air by Pollard, which was safely held by the third man, Michael
Lumb.
DC won the match eventually by 10 runs, but Rajan’s heart was in his mouth when Pollard was peppering him.
Tags: