IPL 2020 | Buttler's innings took the pressure off me, wicket wasn't easy to bat, reveals Steve Smith
Smith was happy with Royals' display
|@ IPL T20
Jos Buttler's 48-ball-70 powered RR to an easy win and Steve Smith was in full praise of the batter as he stated that the Englishman took all the pressure off him on a difficult wicket. Buttler top scored in the game with 70, the second best score being 35, showing his dominance in the game.
After struggling for eternity this season in IPL, Abu Dhabi, today, was witness to the Jos Buttler that the world knows, one who can bat aggressively, play a big knock and bail the team out of pressure situations. Butter made an exceptional fifty on a wicket which was difficult to bat, with all the other batsmen failing to make an impact. RR were at one stage 28 for 3, chasing 126, but Buttler made 70* off 48 with seven fours and two sixes and helped RR win the game by seven wickets.
Buttler and Smith combined in a match-winning partnership but all that Smith got was 26* off 34 as the Englishman completely took off the pressure from the RR skipper's batting, taking the aggressor role and making a quick fire half-century. Smith lauded Buttler's knock and revealed that the wicket was tricky to bat on.
"Buttler's innings took the pressure off me at the other end. It was a really good innings on a wicket that wasn't the easiest. [The LBW review] no I didn't know I'd edged it! Jos said he heard it and some guys off the field too," Smith said in the post-match presentation.
The wicket was tricky, and the RR spinners Rahul Tewatia and Shreyas Gopal did a great strangulation job. The two leggies gave away just 32 runs in eight overs and amassed two wickets, which was the reason behind CSK's total of 125.
Steve Smith was very happy with his spinners' performance and praised both Tewatia and Gopal for their efforts.
"The wicket was stoppy, wasn't easy for batting. Strange game but nice to be on the winning side. I thought we bowled pretty well in the powerplay and the spinners did a good job in the middle with their leggies and googlies and squeezing. Shreyas last two years has been sensational for us and Tewatia this year whether batting, bowling or fielding, has done the job."
