Kumar Sangakkara of RR reflects on Qualifier 2 loss: ‘Lack of partnerships and some panic hurt us in IPL 2024’

Rajasthan Royals (RR) director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara reflected on his team’s defeat in the second qualifier against Sunrisers Hyderabad, attributing the loss to losing wickets in clusters during their chase of 176 runs.

Sangakkara highlighted the importance of building partnerships after a strong start in the PowerPlay, emphasizing the need for a more clinical approach in their chases. He pointed out that the dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal at a crucial stage allowed the left-arm spinners to come into play, making it difficult for RR to recover.

The former Sri Lankan captain also mentioned the decision to promote Impact Player Shimron Hetmyer in the batting order, which was ultimately overlooked in favor of R. Ashwin. Sangakkara believed that building partnerships and staying at the crease could have made a significant difference in the outcome of the match.

Despite the defeat, Sangakkara praised his team for a great season and commended the players for their performance throughout the tournament. He acknowledged the ups and downs of T20 cricket and expressed pride in RR’s journey to the playoffs and contention for the finals.

The loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad dashed RR’s hopes of a second title in three years, as they fell short of challenging Kolkata Knight Riders in the final. Sangakkara remained optimistic about the team’s future and emphasized the importance of learning from their experiences to come back stronger in the next season.