Yusuf Pathan hopes KKR would be among top four

AP “It is easy for us and tough for opponents. Because, we are playing good cricket,” Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Yusuf Pathan said.

Elated after managing to keep their playoff hopes alive by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Yusuf Pathan said it would not be too tough to fetch a place inside the top-four from here.

KKR are now fourth in the points table and the top-four at the end of the league stage would make the playoffs.

“I feel good. We have bright chances to be among the top four. This match was very important for us. It feels good that we have continuously won four games and hope to continue with this good performance. Our batting, bowling have been good and all are doing well,” he said after the emphatic seven-wicket win in Hyderabad on Sunday night.

SRH is virtually out of the race following the defeat against KKR.

Asked how he saw the road ahead as the competition would be tough in the run-up to the semi-finals, Pathan expressed confidence that his team would have it easy.

“I feel it is not tough for us. It would be tough for our opponents. It is easy for us and tough for opponents. Because, we are playing good cricket,” he said.

“It feels good coming here (Hyderabad). This wicket is one of the best in India for batsmen. It would be good for bowlers as well. I have done well here (earlier) and I enjoy coming to Hyderabad,” he said.

Meanwhile, Darren Sammy, who has been given the responsibility to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad, felt that his team has not been consistent in the tournament.

“We have just not been consistent enough. We have not played well in all three disciplines if you take fielding into consideration. In the last game, we batted really well. In this game we did not bat well, but bowled well. So, we have not been consistent,” he said.

“When you lose the game, it is always disappointing whether you captained or not. I felt we did not score enough runs on the wicket. The wicket looked like a 150-minimum wicket. But, credit to the bowlers the way they made the game out of it. We had a chance and it went till the last over.

Yeah, it’s kind of disappointing,” he added.

He said the SRH would try to win all the remaining three matches to have a mathematical chance of entering the top four in case a few other results go the team’s way.