Bailey praises Maxwell and Sehwag ahead of crucial final

Sudhir Gupta 09:59 01/06/2014
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  • Back in the hunt: Virender Sehwag’s return to form ahead of the final augurs well for Punjab.

    Kings XI Punjab captain George Bailey believes his team’s superb run in the Indian Premier League would not have been possible without the brilliance of opener Virender Sehwag and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.

    Maxwell (552 runs from 15 matches) and Sehwag (448 from 16 matches) have played key roles in the team’s 12 victories ahead of the final against Kolkata Knight Riders. 

    Maxwell ruled in the UAE leg, where he scored 300 runs in five matches, while Sehwag amassed  328 runs in 10 games. during the Indian leg of the IPL. 

    The veteran Indian opener had hit a trough with just 73 runs from six games but he stood tall when it mattered the most in the second qualifier against Chennai Super Kings on Friday with a sensational 122 off 58 balls.

    “I think everyone has been a bit harsh on him,” said Bailey. “I think he has actually played some beautiful innings for us. He hasn’t scored the big score often that we would have liked to see from him.

    “I think he scored a nice 70-odd against KKR in Cuttack earlier in the season. He has got some beautiful 30s and 40s. The way he bats, he forces the opposition to think about how they are going to bowl to him and to think about changing their plans.

    “He is in beautiful touch, and also the thing to measure him on is how much he has helped in grooming Manan Vohra. We have seena young player develop, maturing along with Viru.”

    Bailey is also backing his fellow Aussie to come good in the final despite an average Indian leg which has seen him score 252 runs in 10 games.

    “I always feel form is a bit of weird thing with T20. The pleasing thing for us is that if Maxi gets out, he doesn’t waste any balls.

    “When he is not getting big scores for us, he normally hits a six and gets out. I still think he is hitting the ball really beautifully, and it’s just a matter of him getting through the first couple of balls, and then he is away. It’s the same with any batsman in any side.

    “The really pleasing thing for us is that we know what he is capable of. We have seen that a number of times throughout the tournament, he is one of the main reasons that we have been able to get to the Final. “

    And once again, not just the way he has played, but the belief that he has instilled in the rest of the team about what’s possible and what the standard is for us guys with the bat and in the field, they have been something quite special for our team,” he added.

    Bailey is not unduly worriedabout the fact that Punjab are playing their first final while Kolkata have already been there before and won the title in 2012.

    “There is only as much pressure as you put on yourself,” he said. “The expectations from both teams is that they will be looking to win. But there will be no more pressure than any other game.

    “As much as it sounds clichéd and boring, we are not going to go out with any brand new tactics. As a team, we will try to go out and do the same things.

    “In some ways, the bigger the game, the more it is just about doing the basics as well as you can,” he added.

    Punjab bowler Mitchell Johnson, is hoping to finish on the winner’s podium again as he lines up to play his second successive final.

    The Aussie fast bowler had played a vital role in Mumbai’s win against Chennai Super Kings claiming two wickets for 19 runs in his four overs.

    “It seems I have got my timing joining the IPL right. This is the same as last year, for a different team. Hopefully, my team can once again get over the line this time," said Johnson. 

    “All the boys are pretty chuffed right now and they should be. But we still have one more game left to win. The Bangalore ground is a small one, but the wicket can sometimes be good for fast bowlers.

    “We’ll just give our best, and whatever the result, we’ll walk off proud as a team."

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