Gujarat Titans had mindset of defending 180-190, says Rashid Khan

Gujarat Titans might have amassed a commanding 227 for 2 against Lucknow Super Giants but vice-captain Rashid Khan said his side took the field with the mindset of defending 180-190 as no total is safe due to the introduction of the impact player rule.
Rashid’s comments post GT’s 56-run hammering of LSG had a mention of the defeat that the IPL table-toppers suffered against Kolkata Knight Riders when Rinku Singh had hit five sixes in the last over to chase down a total of 204 earlier this season.
“It was a great win for us but you never know, sometimes in T20s, totals of 230-240 become very less. You have to be fully focussed in giving the 100 per cent effort and that was the discussion we had while coming on to bowling,” Rashid said in the post-match press conference here on Sunday.
“As a team we had in mind that we are defending 180-190. As long as we are going to have that in mind, we are going to be on the right side (of the results). But we never think that we have scored that many runs and be relaxed, it was more about getting the basics right and bowling in the right areas.
“It is very hard for the bowlers nowadays especially with the impact player. You have eight or nine batters in a team and it becomes very hard. If you need 60-65 in the last four overs it is quite gettable nowadays.
“It has happened with us in the past against KKR when they scored 28 runs in the last over (to win). It is cricket, anything is possible but you need to be fully committed in getting the basics right.” Rashid said the splendid effort he made to take a catch while covering 26 meters from deep square leg to dismiss Kyle Mayers, was something that is needed to lift the morale of the others in the team.
“It is the contribution you make to the team, as a fielding unit and that is the kind of support I feel should be there for the bowlers on a wicket like this which is high-scoring. They were going so well and you were required to be giving more than 100 per cent on the field,” he said.
“Even if you have a five or 10 per cent chance you have to (try and) convert it into 100 – that is something which can change the game. It gave us (back) the momentum but the way we bowled after the powerplay was incredible.
“We adjusted well, bowled to the fields and did not concede many boundaries in the middle overs.” Lucknow were missing their skipper KL Rahul, who has been ruled out of the IPL due to a thigh injury.
LSG bowler Avesh Khan admitted that Rahul’s exit has durbed the balance of his side and they need to pull themselves up in both bowling and batting departments.
“We have to improve in both departments. We will have to learn from the makes we made today. We did well with the bat in the powerplay but with the ball we did not.
“The situation was pretty tough for the batters (towards the end). We felt that the game was over for us when we needed 98 from five overs. It is very difficult to score 20 odd runs in every over,” Avesh said.