Mumbai Indians Won Champions League T20 triumph

Mumbai Indians 139 (Franklin 41, Bhatkal 3-21, Vettori 2-30) strike Royal Challengers Bangalore 108 (Dilshan 27, Harbhajan 3-20, Chahal 2-9, Malinga 2-23) beat by 31 runs

Mumbai Indians stand-in captain Harbhajan Singh term his team's Champions League T20 triumph as a "great achievement" allowing for the fact they didn't have lot of top players as well as master batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

"Not many people gave us a chance at the start of the tournament. If we can achieve so much without have players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and Munaf Patel, just think about what we can do if we have them," a thrilled Harbhajan said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

He supposed that it was a matter of getting the top three - Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli.

"We knew that if we could get Gayle, Virat and Dilshan, we will be right in the game. Shaun Pollock told us during the interval that if we try we could defend any total. We wanted to give our best shot. The body language of the boys was great and by the grace of God we got the desired result."

He was all admiring for man of the tournament Lasith Malinga for his all-round show.
"His record shows what a phenomenal cricketer he has been. It's great pleasure to have a guy who can win matches for you. Another of our bowling hero has been Abu Nechim Ahmed."

Malinga on his part said that it was a great feeling to get a batsman like Tillakaratne Dilshan out.

"He is a good player so it was great that I got him out. When we started the tournament, we were not in a very good circumstances but I am very happy that we have won the tournament in the end."

About his couple of crucial knocks, he said, "I am happy to have contributed with the bat but I would like to concentrate on my bowling."

RCB skipper Daniel Vettori was a dissatisfied as he felt that 140 was a "gettable target."

"We were aware that the wicket will be vastly dissimilar from the one we played on at the Chinnaswamy. It was on the slower side. On two occasion now, we have got stuck on this track."

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White keyed up about pacer Cummins

Teenage fast bowler Patrick Cummins has fracture on the scene so rapidly that Australia T20 captain, Cameron White, has not yet seen him in action.

"It's attractive thrilling. I saw him bowl in a couple of games on television. Anyone who bowls at 150 (kilometres an hour) is pretty good to watch," White said on Sunday at an arrival media meeting ahead of two Twenty20 internationals against South Africa.

"I'm not a big cricket watcher on TV when I'm not playing but those kinds of players keep you really involved in the game," added White of the 18-year-old from New South Wales.

"I haven't played with Pat before so I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the flesh and out on the ground. He's got some actually good pace," he added.

Cummins and several other Australians will have to make a quick change after playing in the Champions League Twenty20 in India in front of the first match next to South Africa at Newlands on Thursday.

The second match is at the Wanderers in Johannesburg next Sunday.

"It's not ideal," said White. "But those guys have been playing cricket whereas some of the other guys haven't play much because we're pending out of our winter in Australia."

White cited opening batsman David Warner, who finished his Nokia Champions League movement with two consecutive centuries.

"David has had some good achievement against the Protease and he's one of many risky batsmen we have. It's better coming from some hard, spirited cricket than just preparing in the nets."

White said that even though it was a young Australian team they had set their sights on winning both matches.

"We've picked the best Twenty20 side we've got obtainable. South Africa is a great team.

"They're inactive a couple of players and (injured captain) AB de Villiers will be missed because he's a fantastic player, but there's no uncertainty they'll be very tough to beat."

White has only been chosen for the Twenty20 matches and is not in the squad for the three one-day internationals and two Tests that follow.

"It's just the way it is," he said. "There are only two Twenty20 games in this series so we'll try and do our best in a short stay."

Australian Twenty20 squad: Cameron White (capt), Shane Watson, Doug Bollinger, Patrick Cummins, Aaron Finch, David Hussey, Brett Lee, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Stephen O'Keefe, James Pattinson, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade (wkt), David Warner

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White cool over Australia training

Australia T20 captain, Cameron White, is undisturbed by his team's rambling preparation for their two matches with South Africa later this month.

With some members of his squad concerned in the Nokia Champions League T20 tournament in India, the entire team will be jointly for just four days before the first match with the Proteas gets under way in Cape Town on October 13.

While yielding the training is far from perfect, White believe the fact that some of his men have been challenging in the heat of the Champions League cauldron will be helpful when the tour kicks off.

"It's almost certainly not ideal, but at the same time those guys that have come in from all parts of the world have in fact been playing some cricket," White said.

"We're coming off a winter back in Australia; some of the other guys that have come from home haven't played much.

"Though you'd like to be together for longer in the lead-up, at least some of the guys have had some Twenty20 cricket and I think that's better training than just nets."

White is expectant a stern test from South Africa in the T20s, in spite of the home side being without some of their biggest names.

"Not only their Twenty20 side, but also their Test match and one-day side - they're a great team and have been for a long time now," had he said.

"I well-known the Proteas are inactive a couple of players and clearly AB de Villiers will be missed, he's an unbelievable player, so there's no doubt that they're a great side and they'll be very tough to beat."

White has faith that his own squad will be up to the job, and is expecting big things from David Warner, who has been at his swaggering best in India.

"Noticeably the standout's almost certainly David Warner," White said. "He's had some good success next to the Proteas before, one memorable game at the MCG a couple of years ago. He's one of many dangerous batsmen that we have."

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Last-ball six take RCB into semis final

Royal Challengers Bangalore 215 for 8 (Dilshan 74, Kohli 70, Tait 5-32) strike South Australia Redbacks 214 for 2 (Harris 108*, Ferguson 70) by two wickets

Royal Challengers Bangalore scripted a striking entry into the semi-finals of the CLT20 when Arun Karthik hit a six off the last ball while chase a enormous 215 set by South Australia Redbacks here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.

The tormentors-in-chief for the Redbacks, although, were Virat Kohli (70) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (74) who put on a 100-run partnership after a not-out century from Daniel Harris (108) had propel the visitors to a mammoth total.

Dilshan continued with Kohli and the pair pummel the Redbacks' attack to all corners of the park for a 100-run partnership within nine overs before Kohli became Shaun Tait's first victim for 70. Kohli faced 36 balls and hit four boundaries and hity six sixes out of the park.

Dilshan sustained on the quest, but the wickets kept plummeting around him as Shaun Tait found his radar, and dismiss Saurabh Tiwary, follow by the in-form Dilshan (74) with 15 runs still needed off 11 balls.

Tait was not over, and he also got rid of Daniel Vettori and Raju Bhatkal in the 19th over to finish with 5/32 and give the South Australian team hope to still save a victory.

However, Sreenath Aravind made up for his unhappy bowling by scoop a four over the wicketkeeper, running a bye and Arun Karthik hit the winning six off the final ball to see the Redbacks crashing out of the competition.

Earlier elect to bat, the Australian outfit made a mockery of the unfortunate RCB bowlers to post the highest total in the event. The Redbacks have four points and need a victory to take the top slot.

The last six overs twisted 92 runs with Sreenath Aravind being hit for 69 runs in his four over spell. The manner in which the left-arm seamer was hit all over the park may critically dent his chances of making it to the playing XI against England.

For the Australian side, Harris was the star of the innings.

The right hander took charge from the word go with his impudent strokes that stunned the RCB bowlers. His wonderful innings was laced with 17 hits to the fence and two sixes one of which was the one which help him reach his maiden T20 ton.

Ferguson was equally brilliant at the other end, scoring a 43-ball 70, studded with four boundaries and three sixes.

After losing Captain Michael Klinger (7), Harris connected hands with Ferguson as the second wicket pair stitch an aggressive century partnership of 114 runs coming off only 75 balls.

Harris show no respect to RCB's left arm seamer Dirk Nannes, hitting him for four successive boundaries taking 18 runs in the process. He was mainly severe on Arvind, creaming 28 runs in two overs.

For RCB, Syed Mohammad and Rajoo Bhatkal claim a wicket apiece.

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Gayle lead RCB to enormous win

Royal Challengers Bangalore 206 for 6 (Gayle 86) strike Somerset 155 for 6 (Trego 58, Arvind 2-23, Vettori 2-25) by 51 runs

After guiding Royal Challengers Bangalore to a severe victory, Chris Gayle exposed that he found it hard to get going during the early part of his knock.

Gayle scored 86 off 46 balls, his 14th fifty in Twenty20.

"I am very happy with my presentation. It was a key game for us. It wasn't the most excellent of starts as it was a bit hard to bat on originally. In the end, I got shut to playing 20 overs which was good for me," the big-bodied Jamaican said at the post-match appearance ceremony.

Gayle said that the general deliberations were concerning one of the top batsmen trying to bat as many overs as possible.

"No one got a 50 in the first two games. We had a conversation. So whosoever got in this game was asked to carry on. Hopefully, we can win the next one with a big margin as well."

RCB captain Daniel Vettori said that this win was accurately what the doctor ordered.

"It's what we wanted to do. We needed a big one to give ourselves a chance. Gayle showed what a good player he is during the IPL, and again in this one. We were still battling, however, with the way Somerset started," Vettori said.

Although he wasn't happy with his bowlers' presentation during the KKR game, he said that the win was "acceptable."

"I thought 185 were par-score on this track and we went further than that. We knew that chase this target would be tough."

Somerset captain Alfonso Thomas said that they could have gone with an off-spinner rather than leaving with three left-arm spinners whcih made their attack look unsurprising.

"We could have done away with an off-spinner, but attractive nothing away from Chris, he pace his innings nicely," he said.

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Cobras can switch T&T's spin attack'

Cape Cobras wicket-keeper Dane Vilas said his team is sure of seeing off T&T's spin attack on the hard MA Chidambaram strip.

"Luckily, we are playing them at the finish, so they're not a totally unknown entity," Vilas said at the pre-match media meeting on Monday.

"We've done some work on them; they bowled brilliantly next to Chennai Super Kings. I think the key to the game alongside Chennai was that they took the pace off the ball quite a lot. A lot of bowlers that we've faced have taken the pace off, using dissimilar variations. So hopefully, we've got that enclosed," he said.

Asked to name one area the team needs to recover upon, he said, "It's essentially a quarter-final for us, we have to win this game. We had a long pre-season. One key area we can improve on is almost certainly our fielding. I think we have not been the field side we can be in this event "

Vilas said he is sure about the South African side's own spin attack, in spite of it going for runs in the rain-hit match next to Mumbai Indians in Bangalore, when the latter amassed 176/6 in 20 overs.

"We're very sure. The Chennai and Bangalore pitches are entirely different. The one in Chennai help spin, while the Bangalore one was a lot flatter and a better pitch to bat on.

"But we've played three games here and JP (Duminy) bowled a brilliant spell next to Chennai, taking four wickets next to huge players of spin and we've also got Robin Peterson," he said.

Asked if china-man bowler, Michael Rippon, would obtain a look in next to Chennai on a spin-friendly pitch on Tuesday, Vilas said, "I think we'll keep the same team, we're bowling well as a unit."

"(But) guys like Andrew Puttick and Rippon are forever ready (if picked)."

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Ganga aim for NCL T20 semis spot

T&T captain Daren Ganga said they will now play with expect and faith to qualify for the semifinals of the NCL T20.

Ganga was dissatisfied that his team lost two close ties earlier in the event but said they wanted to do something significant on Sunday against Chennai Super Kings as it was the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.

"Obviously, we were dissatisfied with our two losses earlier. Both were very close games which went down to the last over. And, that is the beauty of 20-20 cricket. Today, we played wonderfully to get them over the line," Ganga said.

"You can say that our bowling was very good next to the Mumbai Indians, though we just did not put good total on the board. And, it is always good to obtain a win very early in a competition.

"This day is a very special day as it is the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi and we required to do something important. For us coming from Trinidad, not receiving those wins was a bit unlucky," he said.

"We consideration today is going to be our day. We had that faith as a team. There is more chance of qualify as well. We will play with that hope and that belief. God only knows as to what will happen in the last game. But, we powerfully feel that we will qualify for the semifinals," Ganga added.

Trinidad & Tobago, who lost by one-wicket to Mumbai Indians before being beaten by New South Wales in a one-over eliminator, finally tasted success when they hit title holders Chennai by 12 runs in a low-scoring Group A match.

The Caribbean side will now next take on South Africa's Cape Cobras on Tuesday in their last match of the group stage.

"It was not easy (win) at all. We saw in the first game itself that it is tough to bat to put up a huge total. We realised that and recognize that and we stuck to get as much runs as probable," Ganga said.

"We might not make 150 or so but were very contending with 130. We were satisfied with that and we fight with confidence with the total as such."

Ganga said his side doesn't have any big name and their power lies in team coordination.

"As I said before the event, our strength is on our team members. We do not have big players who had played in the IPL. But, we have got players who appreciate their roles. We taught and ready them with certain philosophies," he said.

"All in all, all the guys are put their weight to add as a team and get success that we had (against Chennai)."

Off-spinner Sunil Narine, who took three critical wickets giving away just eight runs in his four over’s to set up the win for Trinidad & Tobago, said he has a special release up his sleeves, which he developed after spending hours at the nets.

"We play wind ball (tennis ball with a tape) cricket. I just had been bowling and trained that delivery regularly. I got it by practicing and working regularly," Narine said.

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Chennai pitch rough to score on

After beat to the NSW Blues, Mumbai Indians all-rounder James Franklin say the MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch in Chennai is one of the most challenging he has played on.

"It's almost certainly one of the more challenging pitches I've played on in my vocation," Franklin said after the match.

"It was really, really tough looking to score runs up front and it was real attach, credit to New South Wales, I think they bowled exceptionally well, they stuck to the basics, which came out really well."

Batting first, Mumbai could only post 100 for seven and would not have reach three figures but for Franklin's winning knock of 42.

"It was a case of trying to get runs; I think we were 20 or 30 runs short. (A total of) 130 would have made the game really interesting. But our bowlers bowled exceptionally well, they gave us a chance of winning, but Steven Smith and Ben Rohrer (who shared an unbeaten 63-run partnership for the sixth wicket) batted wonderfully and saved New South Wales," he said.

Franklin also defended the attacking fields set by Mumbai captain Harbhajan Singh when New South Wales were in trouble at 28 for five. The Australian outfits were still able to milk singles and decrease the force building on their team.

"We were trying to take wickets and also aware of not giving away too many runs. (But) you've got to pay credit to those two guys out there (Rohrer and Smith), who were able to turn strike in the middle with minimal risk," Franklin said.

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Trinidad and Tobago beat Chennai Kings

Trinidad and Tobago 123 for 8 (Perkins 34, Cooper 28, Jakati 2-18) hit Chennai Super Kings 111 for 6 (Bravo 32*, Narine 3-8) by 12 runs

Dwayne Bravo attempt to save the situation with 32 from 22 balls and Albie Morkel hit 18 from 12 but it was too little too late.

Doug Bollinger take three for 30 and Shadab Jakati two for 18 as the West Indian side were limited to 123 for eight, with only Kevon Cooper's late assault lifting their total to that mark.

It proved crucial, though, as Chennai struggle to 111 for six in reply, with Sunil Narine taking three for eight from his four overs.

T and T openers Lendl Simmons (20) and William Perkins (34) put on 52, taking 9.3 overs to do so, but only Adrian Barath (23) contribute further as they fell to 92 for six.

But Cooper, whose preceding seven Twenty20 innings had yield just 39 runs at an average of 7.80 and a run a ball, club three sixes and a four as he made 28 from 10 balls to set up a competitive total.

Mike Hussey's 13 were the best of a weak contribution from Chennai's top order, with even Subramaniam Badrinath's 14 occupying 26 deliveries. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni summed up the hosts' struggle with seven from 22 balls before offering a return catch to Narine.

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Washout after Mumbai make 176

Match discarded Mumbai Indians 176 for 5 (Pollard 58, Kanwar 45) v Cape Cobras

Two men at dissimilar ends of the Twenty20 range powered Mumbai Indians to their best batting presentation in the tournament after which heavy rain wiped out the match. One of the biggest names in the format, Kieron Pollard, and a debutant, Sarul Kanwar, went on a six-hitting spree as Mumbai put up a strong 176 next to Cape Cobras.

Aiden Blizzard was probable to be the fire starter at the top of the order for Mumbai; as an alternative it was the little known Kanwar who provided the explosive. Kanwar, a 23-year-old Punjab opener with only one season of domestic cricket behind him, show no fear in his first big game, clouting the Cobras fast bowlers.

The first blast to make people sit up was a clean sway that sent Charl Langeveldt over the midwicket boundary in the second over. Langeveldt was taken for a four and a six square on the leg side in his next over, and JP Duminy left for 17 in the fifth, before Kanwar showed he can hit straight as well by thrashing Vernon Philander over long-off. After five sixes and three fours, he nearly got to his half-century with a fashionable hit over deep extra cover but the shot lack a few yards and was wedged.

Kanwar's endeavor solved Mumbai's headache at the top of the order, and they will also be pleased with the return to form of one of their middle-order stars, Pollard. With Blizzard and Ambati Rayudu falling soon after Kanwar, Mumbai were in danger of losing their way before Pollard intervenes. He warmed up with two hideous straight sixes off JP Duminy, before backing it up with a couple of fours behind square leg. James Franklin connected in by launching Robin Peterson for two more sixes. By the time Pollard completed Langeveldt's horror day by scoring 18 in the 16th over, Mumbai had surged to 143 for 3.

Cobras manage to pull it back a bit in the final overs, with Justin Kemp giving away only two runs in the 17th, but some more boundaries from Andrew Symonds pressed Mumbai to 176. Even as the Mumbai innings wound to an end, the rains arrived and stay for several hours, forcing the team to split points.

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Kallis and Gambhir stay Knight Riders alive

Kolkata Knight Riders 171 for 1 (Kallis 64*, Gambhir 55*) strike Royal Challengers Bangalore 169 for 9 (Vettori 44, Bhatkal 25) by nine wickets

Kolkata Knight Riders hit Royal Challengers Bangalore by nine wickets in Bangalore, thanks to a winning second-wicket stand by Jacques Kallis and Gautam Gambhir.

South African Kallis ablaze 64 from 47 balls, ably assist by Gambhir who scored an winning 55 from just 31 delivery, as they chase down Bangalore's total of 169 with two and a half overs to spare.

Australian opening batsman Brad Haddin helped KKR to a flying start with a knock of 42 before he was fixed by Virat Kohli off the bowling of Daniel Vettori.

Earlier, New Zealand's Vettori top-scored for Bangalore with 44 in the middle of their innings after KKR won the toss and put them in to bat.

Bangalore lost two early wickets when Kallis bowled Chris Gayle for 25 before Virat Kohli was out for a duck when Gambhir wedged him off the bowling of Brett Lee.

Raajoo Bhatkal put up some fight with Vettori with a seventh-wicket stand of 61 but Bangalore's total never looked to be sufficient.

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Dhoni cheerful after CSK victory

MS Dhoni was all praise for his bowlers after CSK's three-pronged pace attack controlled Cape Cobras to a modest score of 145 on Wednesday.

"Had we lost, it would have become very hard. The score of 145 was a very good effort by our bowlers, who capitalized really well when they lost a couple of wickets at the wrong time. Our bowlers did a good job," said Dhoni after his team's exciting four-wicket victory over the Cobras.

"It was a big game for us and (Dwayne) Bravo played a special innings in the end. My heart was pounding. We are look forward to the next game," the skipper added.

The pace trio of Albie Morkel (2 for 26), Doug Bollinger (2 for 25) and Dwayne Bravo (2 for 23) shackle the Cobras' batting line-up and prohibited their order consisting of Herschelle Gibbs, J P Duminy and Owais Shah from changing the gears up.

Dhoni also approved that while batting, Chennai abandoned the importance of singles at the start.

The Chennai Super Kings, with this win, have two points, the same as the Cape Cobras and New South Wales while Mumbai Indians head the table with four points from two victories.

Cape Cobras' captain Justin Kemp said that Chennai pacers bowled fine with the old ball.

"We would have liked to score more at the back end, but I consider the Chennai boys bowled well with the old ball. They were excellent in the end over’s," said Kemp.

Kemp selected all-rounder Bravo's timely cameo for special praise and said, "It took something special from Bravo. We bowled well, but it was always going to come down to the last couple of over’s, and they have a big batting line-up. Bravo played some outstanding shots and took the game away from us."

"Overall it was a good game. We were right up there until the 18th over. A couple of mistake here and there," he added.

Man-of-the-match Dwayne Bravo, whose sparkler (46 not out off 25 balls) took the Chennai Super Kings past the target of 145 with just two balls to spare, said, "Today was a great day for us. I was just backing my ability. I am enjoying my cricket now. Hope this continues later in the event."

"Dale Steyn bowled just one bad ball and I got on top of it."

Asked about his bowling, he said, "I have work hard on my bowling in the nets and distorted my action a bit. I am happy now."

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Katich: Batting wants to improve

NSW Blues captain Simon Katich was relived after his move to bowl Steve O'Keefe in the Super Over paid off in their NCL T20 match, but felt the batting wanted to improve further.

"We're dissatisfied to have left it too late today," he said after his team's win over Trinidad and Tobago via the Super Over, before adding that NSW also approved too many runs in the middle overs.

"But that's the nature of Twenty 20 cricket. The stress is on the bowlers, it's not easy for them as well. But we've got to come up with a better batting effort throughout that middle phase. If no one bats through (the innings) it's very difficult."

About going in with spinner Steve O'Keefe in the Super Over, he said, "I deduction we felt pace off the ball with an older ball is possibly the hardest thing to hit.

I guess (T&T) went the other way and Moises played wonderfully and got us back into the match when it looked like it was over. It was a unbelievable knock and to cap it off in the Super Over was magnificent.

"O'Keefe had bowled wonderfully for us and we just felt that the pace off the ball was the right option than one of the quicks. Yes, it can be look at as a gamble but appreciatively, it paid off," Katich said.

The left-hander also said that the fact that T&T picked his pacers for runs in the final five overs (they went from 89/3 to 139/6) also contribute in giving the ball to a spinner.

Moises Henriques, who starred with the bat for NSW, said, "To be honest, it was just trying to like the cricket.Nothing much was going throughout my mind.

In my last game, we were in a similar circumstance. We work hard to bat in such circumstances and give your best every time you go out, sooner or later it's gonna pay off."

Henriques took a single and gave the strike to pace bowler Pat Cummins in the final over with just three balls residual and eight runs wanted for a win.

Asked if he had the self-confidence in the 18-year-old's capability, Henriques said, "I had just taken nine runs off Ravi (Rampaul) in the first three balls and the maths in my head said we needed eight off three balls and at that stage every run was crucial.

If I could perhaps get on strike on the last ball, then we were in with a possibility, whether a six or four."

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Dwayne Bravo lead Chennai Kings to win

Dwayne Bravo enables Chennai Super Kings to get their Champions League Twenty20 title defense back on path with a four-wicket victory over Cape Cobras at Chennai.

Owais Shah Lead the way with 45 as the Cobras, who won the toss and chose to bat, totall 145 for seven - but Bravo's 46 from 25 balls enable the Super Kings to pass the total with two balls to extra.

The Cobras' score was built on a firm partnership of 57 for the fourth wicket between Shah and JP Duminy. Shah's knock come from 38 balls and built-in a six and three fours, while Duminy chip in with 24 from 21 balls.


South Africa spinner Duminy then excel with the ball, taking four wickets for 20 runs from his four overs as the Super Kings slip to 77 for five.

However, the influx of Bravo at the crease redress the balance - and after distribution in a 43-run stand for the sixth wicket, the West Indies all-rounder took them to brink of victory by taking 17 runs off the last but one over of the game, bowled by Dale Steyn.

With Albie Morkel, Bravo saw the Super Kings over the line, appropriately hitting the winning single with two balls remaining.

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Ganga preserve Rampaul conclusion

T&T captain Darren Ganga shielded his decision to use Ravi Rampaul in the Super Over in their NCL T20 conflict next to NSW Blues in Chennai.

Rampaul, who gave left 16 runs in the 20th over that allowable NSW to level the scores, conceded another 18 in the Super Over, which the T&T failed to overhaul.

"Ravi is the most knowledgeable bowler, he's been our best bowler so far in this event, the most in-form. Every time he's bowled at the passing away for us, he's done the job for us.

We've trained and drill ourselves in a certain way, to finish off the innings in a certain manner. If we give Ravi 15 or 16 runs to guard, he'll do that on any given day," Ganga said after the beat.

Rampaul persist with bowling around the wicket in spite of going for runs in the 20th over, but his captain shielded the move.

"We've tried it time and time once more, to bowl around the wicket to most of the batsmen, angle the ball across, the field positions... more often than not we get out of jail. (But) Ravi was a little bit tired, almost certainly having bowled two over’s back to back and then with that strength coming back to bowl the Super Over.

"In retrospection you can say a lot of things, but he's our most knowledgeable bowler," he said.

Ganga said he would've preferred to go with a right-left combination in the Super Over but the team had to name prior to the match its three favored batsmen for such a scenario.

"We were under the feeling that we had the option of using any (of the) three to open, but that's amazing we learned regarding just prior to start of the game.

"(As if) the Gods are next to us. We've had two very close games; it just shows how spirited we are. It's a pity we haven't crossed the line and secure a win. We still hold our belief. This group is still open and we'll be coming very, very hard in that game beside CSK,” he concluded.

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Botha: We played and execute our plan

subsequent their 50-run win over the Red backs in the NCL T20, Warriors captain Johan Botha said they played to the plan and are looking onward to the challenges ahead.

"Two out of two at the start of the competition is always important," he told reporters after Warriors scored their second succeeding win in the tournament.

He was all praise for Jon-Jon Smuts, whose knock of 88 off 65 balls helped the South African team set a huge total of 171 in 20 over’s.

"After 12 overs, we stress-free a little bit but the guys took it to 170. We knew it was not going to be easy for the team batting second," he said.

He also hails his bowlers for making early inroads by claim three wickets in first six overs.

Botha said he was look forward to the next match next to Kolkata Knight Riders on Oct 1.

"Three out of three will take us to the knockout. Our goal is to go to the play-offs. Then we will be two away from winning the tournament," he said.

In the last group B match, Warriors will face Somerset, one of the three qualifiers for the main contest.

"They have good international players. It is not going to be easy but the way we are playing at the moment, we are look forward to the challenge," Botha added.

"Obviously, it was great presentation. Today it was me. Tomorrow someone else will be there," said Smut, who also claims one wicket.

"The track was good to bat for six hours but after that it got slow. It was bit difficult from 7 to 14 but clearly we got used to this situation," he said.

Losing Captain Michael Klinger felt that his side did not execute the basic skills well. "They have done better than us," was how he summed up the outcome.

"We gave away too many runs at the start. We did not carry out the bowling well and then we kept loosing wickets frequently and the run rate kept going up," he said.

The skipper, however, said they got sufficient match practice before and also after inward in India. "This is not an excuse," he said and hoped that his team would lift its game in the remaining three group matches.

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