Sunrisers Hyderabad have finally put a halt to their IPL 2020 woes for the time being as the side clinched their first win in four games with a massive eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in Dubai on Thursday.
Manish Pandey turned star of the win with 47-ball 83 in an unbeaten 140-run stand with 50-up Vijay Shankar, who also chipped in with a valuable 1/15 bowling spell in his four overs to restrict RR at 154/6 in the first innings.
And man of the match Pandey felt such performance was long due after fingers were pointed at SRH middle order.
"There were enough talks around our middle order. High time for us to perform. I just wanted to stay on the wicket and play my shots. Really happy that it came off today. We had the opportunity to win the game for SRH, really happy I'm standing here," he said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
The right-hander said he wasn't afraid to face Jofra Archer, who earlier removed in-form David Warner and Jonny Bairstow for cheap, as he was middling the ball well and came into bat with a plan for all bowlers.
"We had plans to see Jofra off. We had a plan to take on the leggies and Indian bowlers, and it paid off. The first ball I middled through covers and I tried to keep my shape. I was hitting it well and I tried to get my team over the line," he said.
