Royal Challengers Bengaluru's coach Andy Flower urges his team to adopt a semifinal mindset following their fifth consecutive loss in the IPL 2024 season.
After enduring their fifth consecutive defeat in the IPL 2024 season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru's coach Andy Flower is urging his team to adopt a semifinal mindset. Following their sixth loss in seven matches, Flower acknowledged the necessity of treating each remaining game as a semifinal encounter. Despite their recent setback, RCB fell short by 25 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their latest match.
Flower emphasized the importance of a resilient attitude, stating, "It's now knockout time, and every game is akin to a semifinal for us. But we have to believe that we will bounce back stronger," during the RCB Game Day.
Facing a formidable challenge, RCB conceded the highest-ever IPL total – 287 for three – as Hyderabad's batsmen capitalised on their struggling bowling attack.
Reflecting on the challenging match, Flower admitted, "It was a really tough evening on the field. Their strong finish probably took the wind out of our sails."
Despite the defeat, Flower found positives in RCB's batting performance, particularly in Dinesh Karthik's impressive 83 off 35 balls and skipper Faf Du Plessis' quickfire 62 off 28 balls.
"I'm immensely proud of our batting fightback out there. Despite the loss, I take pride in our resilience," Flower remarked.
He also praised Karthik for his aggressive approach against SRH bowlers, suggesting a potential inclusion in India's T20 World Cup squad.