IPL 2023, RR vs RCB: Got carried away in powerplay, tried to be ultra aggressive – Sangakkara on Royals defeat

The Royals suffered a dramatic batting collapse to be bowled out for 59 – the third lowest innings total in the IPL – against RCB at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Chasing a competitive 172-run target, the hosts lost five wickets for 28 runs in the powerplay to eventually lose by 112 runs. In fact, the Royals batted for only 10.3 overs and the manner of defeat also denting their playoff chances.

Sangakkara feels the Royals’ batters threw away their wickets, adding that the IPL match was lost in the powerplay and 170 was a good score to chase on this pitch.

“It was a poor batting performance. We bowled well to keep them under 170, which on this pitch was going to be a good chase,” Sangakkara said at the post-match press conference.

“I think we got a little bit carried away in the powerplay, thinking that we had to score too many runs there and try to be ultra positive.”

“It was a case of trying to build partnerships but unfortunately we were five down coming out of the powerplay that was probably the end of the game,” the Sri Lankan legend added.

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The RR batters were guilty of going for big shots instead of trying to settle in. And the head coach added that the whole batting unit failed by gifting their wickets away.

“They didn’t really get us out but we got ourselves out, it was pretty obvious to see. So, it was not about one individual it’s about the whole batting unit and we weren’t good enough today,” Sangakkara said.

The loss meant RR slipped to the sixth place with 12 points from 13 matches. With only one game left, their chances of reaching the play-offs look slim. Sangakkara admitted that progressing to the playoffs is not in their hands now.

“We’ll have to wait, have one game left, Unfortunately, now other results will have to go our way, we got to play for some pride and make sure we win it,” the coach said.

(With PTI inputs)