Hydrabad, May 3 (Representative) Veteran India seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar admitted that the final result was not on his mind when he was handed a difficult task of defending 12 runs in the final over against Rajasthan Royals on Thursday (May 2). SRH, who were put under the pump in the run chase, managed to turn the tide around to clinch a thrilling one-run win in Hyderabad.“I told everyone process is very important,” Bhuveshwar said after the game. “I was literally thoughtless, I was not thinking about the result. I was just trying to do what I can do.”With Rovman Powell facing strike for the major part of that final over, Bhuvneshwar’s task was indeed difficult especially with SRH forced to bring in an extra fielder due to a slow over rate. With two runs needed off the final ball, the seamer bowled a low full toss that was missed by the batter completely as he got trapped lbw. “I knew if I could bowl just two good balls, and if it went to the last ball, anything could happen,” he said. “It was a full toss, I know, but he missed it.“I was not thinking about the one extra fielder up, or whatever the restriction was there, I was so detached from the result. I wasn’t thinking about where the fielder is, where he is going to hit, where I’m gonna bowl, I was so focused on the process, that was the only thing I was doing.” Bhuvneshwar also made the new ball talk in the game that put the Royals on the backfoot very early. The 34-year-old got the ball to swing, like he used to do so often in his prime, to get rid of both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for ducks. “It was the first match the ball swung so much,” he pointed out. “I can’t really pinpoint where the ball swung last, but the way it swung I literally enjoyed it. When it swings, you are always on top of the game, you try to take wickets and luckily, I got wickets.”Meanwhile, RR’s batting allrounder Riyan Parag dismissed suggestions that some of the batters, including himself, threw their wickets away especially with his side comfortably heading towards another win at one stage.
Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal added 134 for the third wicket and were cruising before getting dismissed. “I don’t think any one of us threw our wickets,” he noted. “Jaiswal tried that scoop because Natarajan was bowling good slow bouncers and hence he predicted a yorker and went with that shot. I tried to muscle it for a six, probably an error in execution but I don’t really think we threw our wickets. It would have been nice to stay till the end, it was the plan for both of us.”Parag also admitted that the home team bowled a lot better in the slog overs compared to Royals. Despite needing only 21 from 17, Royals lost their way as Pat Cummins, T Natarajan and Bhuvneshwar delivered in unison. “I was pretty confident but you have to give credit to how they bowled,” he said. “It’s their home ground, they bowled like they knew how the wicket was playing. You got to give credit to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Natarajan and Cummins. Cummins especially bowling that 19th over, going for 8 runs or something like that, they bowled better than us in the slog overs.”Parag himself has been in very good form this season after going through a horror run last year where he got to play only seven games. While his name was thrown into contention by many for a spot in the national squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, the youngster was practical enough. “Last year I wasn’t even in contention to play the IPL,” he admitted. “Now I’ve heard a few rumours, I’m not on social media anymore, I’ve heard a few noises here and there. I’m glad they are taking my name for the right reasons now. I wasn’t really thinking about anything. I’m really really happy for the boys in our team, Sanju bhaiyya (Sanju Samson) especially getting the call-up. It is going to be great for our country and we can hopefully bring the World Cup home.”