Bengaluru: His wait to lift an Indian Premier League (IPL) crown finally over, Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman Yuvraj Singh said he will place the trophy right on top in his cabinet along with his World Cup victories.
The 34-year-old from Punjab, who has been part of two World Cup-winning squads, had to wait for nine years to lay his hands on an IPL trophy and he described it an amazing feeling to finally win the championship.
“It is an amazing feeling to win an IPL Trophy. I have won the World Cups but never won an IPL trophy. I have been playing this tournament for eight years now but never won it. That moment has finally come,” Yuvraj told iplt20.com.
Yuvraj, who scored 38 in the final against RCB on Sunday, said: “I had never tasted the sweetness of an IPL trophy and this is something really amazing. At the moment this trophy will go right on top in my cabinet. This one will go along with my World Cup victories.”
Yuvraj was left nursing an injury that he sustained in April during India’s league match against Australia in the World T20 and was out of action for the early games of IPL.
Once back in the team, the dashing batsman showed his prowess as he played some crucial knocks to help Hyderabad’s campaign.
Yuvraj, who became the only player to win the Under-19 World Cup, 50-over World Cup, World Twenty20, Champions Trophy and the IPL, credited the camaraderie among the Sunrisers players for their maiden IPL trophy victory.
“It is an exciting bunch of youngsters and we gelled together really well,” he said.
“We spent a lot of time together off the field which came in handy when the times were tough for the team. When we didn’t quite qualify in the top two, we knew that if we played to our potential, we would make it to the final and win it. We got it the hard way,” he added.
Hyderabad skipper David Warner once again led from the front blasting 69 off 38 balls after winning the toss and Yuvraj lauded the Australian for his efforts.
“David Warner had an outstanding tournament as a batsman and as a captain. He took us all the way. Everybody had some part to play and have time and again put meaningful contributions for the side,” Yuvraj said.
After posting 208 for 7 in the finals, Sunrisers saw Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli take the game away from them before their bowlers stepped up and restricted Bangalore to 200 for 7 to clinch the trophy.
Yuvraj said, “Two hundred runs is a par score over here because it is a small ground and a very good wicket. We stuck together when the game was shifting away from us. Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli batted beautifully. But we just needed to stick together and take a few wickets. We fielded well and in the end we became winners.”
“We stuck to our plans in the end and we bowled in the really good areas. It was a great team effort by the boys tonight,” he added.
