IPL 2020: Only 2 players from the team that lost 5 matches here in 2014: Rohit Sharma in IM's first win in UAE

Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma said that beating KKR and winning their first match in the UAE was about being ruthless.

Captain of the Mumbai Indians, Rohit Sharma (Courtesy- BCCI)

HIGHLIGHT

  • Mumbai Indians defeated KKR by 49 runs in their second match of IPL 2020
  • Rohit Sharma said playing long innings in UAE is difficult
  • Mumbai Indians captain confessed his love for pull shots

Rohit Sharma, captain of the Mumbai Indians and Man of the Match in Wednesday’s clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), said his team’s first win in the United Arab Emirates was about being “ruthless.”

The Mumbai Indians defeated the KKR team led by Dinesh Karthik by a wide margin of 49 runs at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The IM captain himself led from the front and scored a quick 54 of 80 to break his team’s six-game losing streak in the Gulf nation.

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Rohit Sharma was at this glorious best and was in the middle of almost every installment. He broke as many as 6 sixes in the match and helped his team put a total of 195 runs on the board. Rohit, while speaking to Harsha Bhogle after the end of IPL 2020 match 5, admitted his love for shooting shots and said he was satisfied to execute them to perfection.

The Mumbai Indians bowers also found their groove and the rhythm trio of Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah and James Pattinson shared 2 wickets each to derail a brilliant KKR batting lineup. Sharma said MI’s pacing attack was strong as management had prepared for the games in Wankhede, the franchise’s original home ground.

In particular, IPL 2020 has moved to the United Arab Emirates due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Only two players from the team that lost five games here in 2014. It’s about executing plans, which we did. We were always ahead of the game, but it was about being ruthless.

“I’m pretty confident playing the shooting shot, I love playing that shot, and I’m really glad it came out. Six months is a long time without cricket. I was looking to have some time in between. It didn’t come in the first game, but I’m glad I did today.

“Our rhythm attack was strong because we planned for Wankhede. Having come here, it also served enough for fast players.

“My job becomes easy if you have such players on the team. It’s not easy to play long innings here. Towards the end, I just wanted to stay put and hit. Again, it’s a learning for all of us that once you ate at Es It’s the responsibility of the set hitter to hit as deep as he can, “Rohit Sharma said at the post-game presentation ceremony.