We had won 80% of match before Pollard came in the way: Moody

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Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody lavished praise on Mumbai Indians all-rounder Kieron Pollard, saying the visitors had won “80 per cent” of the IPL game before the West Indian got in their way.

“Of course we are disappointed. We won 80 per cent of the game, but Mumbai are undefeated here at home. We have been criticised throughout the tournament how poorly we have batted and I think we showed people we are capable with the bat...,” Moody said at the post-match press conference.

“I think we had more than a competitive total on that surface but there was one bloke (Pollard) who got in our way, it is as simple as that. At one stage they were needing over 15 runs an over, more often not, you win those games but today wasn’t the case,” he added.

The big-hitting Trinidadian made a blistering unbeaten 27-ball 66 to snatch victory for his team from the jaws of defeat. Mumbai Indians scored 50 runs off the the 17th and 18th overs bowled by Thisara Perera and Amit Mishra but Moody defended his bowlers.

“I don’t agree that Thisara’s over (29 runs) cost us the match at all. When you are on a good surface, when there is big total being scored, there is going be an over or two that are going to be expensive. That was an expensive over but I think the focus needs to be more on Pollard’s hitting,” he explained.

“He has done that a couple of times this season. I felt we won 80 per cent of the game. We batted very well, we posted a good total. We were controlling the game right upto the 15th over and Pollard chanced his arm and it came off...It was his day and with his power he is unstoppable at times,” the Aussie said.