T20 2018: I was waiting for this special knock, says Manish Pandey

Hyderabad Manish Pandey during his 62' v Bangalore on Thursday. Pic/AFP

On a night when poor Basil Thampi conceded the most runs by a bowler in T20 history (70 from his four overs), Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey produced an audacious 67-ball 135-run partnership that nearly won visitors Hyderabad the game. Chasing 218 for an improbable win was never going to be easy but the sheer class that Williamson (81 off 42 balls) displayed, would have had you cheering no matter which team you support.

And yet in the end, the knocks from both Williamson and Pandey (62 not out off 38 balls) proved to be in a lost cause. But they would have gained more than they lost. Pandey, one of the batting mainstays for Kolkata in earlier years, had been struggling for form, albeit on some difficult pitches back home in Hyderabad and him striking it rich just as the business end of the tournament is upon us, is the best thing that could have happened to SRH.

"Myself and everybody was waiting for this, a special knock I think. Bangalore is pretty close to me and I thought if I get to bat with some balls in hand, I could cash in. It has been okay for me until now, if not as much as I expected. But it was high time now. If I peak now and win games for my team, I'll be really happy by the end of the season," said Pandey on Thursday night, after the 14-run loss to Bangalroe.

In the opposite camp not only was the result positive, there were other positives too, chiefly the entry of Moeen Ali. Kept out of the playing XI for majority of the league phase, all-rounder Ali came up with the decisive knock in the game. "It's obviously very important [for newer players to come good]. We are going to have to contribute for us to go further and potentially get through and in the future as well. You can't always rely on two amazing players. They will do their bit but we will also have to chip in and win games as well," said Ali after his match-winning 34-ball 65.

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