"There is a small chance" - Kane Williamson on SRH's chances of making it to the playoffs

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Kane Williamson believes his side still have a chance of making it to the playoffs of the IPL 2021. SRH were eighth in the table with only two points from seven games before the tournament came to an abrupt end on May 4.

Hyderabad will have to win all their remaining games to give themselves a chance of making it to the playoffs. Ahead of their campaign opener in the UAE, Kane Williamson reckons SRH have to come together as a group and put on some much-improved performances.

Speaking to Sportstar, Williamson said:

“After the first half of the competition, it wasn’t perhaps our best and that hasn’t increased our chances to make the playoffs. But I still believe that there is a small chance, and we have to win pretty much all our games."

Williamson added:

“I think the challenge for us is coming together as a group and putting up much-improved performances and I think that will give us the best chance to get the right results in games. As we know in this competition, all the teams are strong and all the teams can beat each other. It is one of the toughest competitions in the world, it is exciting. But for us, the focus is what is in front of us and what is in our control."

SRH's only win in the first leg of IPL 2021 came against KL Rahul's Punjab Kings in a low-scoring encounter at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

"A bit of loss for us" - Kane Williamson on Jonny Bairstow pulling out of the second phase of IPL 2021

Sunrisers Hyderabad were dealt a massive blow when wicket-keeper batsman Jonny Bairstow pulled out of the UAE leg of IPL 2021. Kane Williamson admits the absence of the English cricketer is a bit of a loss for his side. He said:

“Jonny is one of the standout players, so yeah, a bit of a loss for us. Having little bit of time after the first half – naturally it all came to an abrupt end – the guys had a chance to reflect and try and really connect to what’s important for us as a team to put up a performance that we know is collective. It is a team approach that we need to try and execute. That is the focus."

SRH have roped in West Indies batter Sherfane Rutherford as Bairstow's replacement for the remainder of IPL 2021. The southpaw was in fine form in CPL 2021 and will hope to replicate those performances in the IPL.

Hyderabad will begin their campaign against the Delhi Capitals on September 22 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.