Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant, right, with Mohammed Shami (PTI Photo) Mohammed Shami produced a clinical spell to lead Lucknow Super Giants to a five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad, later explaining the tactical shift behind his success. The veteran pacer returned excellent figures of 2 for 9 in his four overs, including a remarkable 18 dot balls, which set the tone early as LSG tore through SRH’s top order. The hosts eventually recovered to 156 for 9, but the total never looked like enough. After being named man of the match, Shami revealed that his decision to rely more on slower deliveries came from observing trends from the previous season. “I was here last year, there were a lot of slower balls being bowled. That was in my mind, the bowlers and the opponents were bowling a lot of slower balls, so I thought why not try it too,” Shami said at the post-match presentation. His impact was immediate. Shami struck at the opening to remove Abhishek Sharma for a duck and soon sent back Travis Head, leaving SRH reeling early. Ishan Kishan also fell cheaply as the innings spiraled during the Powerplay. At 22 for 3 and then 26 for 4, SRH looked set to collapse before Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen put together a decisive 116-run stand to revive the innings. Shami stressed that the win was important after the setback in the previous game and spoke about the need to maintain rhythm and fitness through consistent cricket. “We are very happy because we lost the previous match at home, so it was very important for us to win this match to get the momentum. Once you do that, the winning momentum continues. (on his preparation for this IPL) If you love cricket and want to play at any level, then it’s important to be in touch with the game,” Shami said. He also stressed the importance of preparation and adaptability, stressing how staying match-ready has helped him execute his plans effectively. “If you want to perform well, it’s very important to stay fit. First you have to be fit, then you can show your skills. For domestic cricket, my plan was to be in touch with the game to be in the flow. That’s why I played all the matches. (on his bowling changes today) Nothing works without them and without experience. It’s very important to adapt to the conditions. Despite SRH’s late recovery, LSG remained in control during the chase, with the skipper leading from the front with an unbeaten 68 to seal a comfortable victory.
