'We will celebrate only after winning the final': SRH's impact player makes big statement after beating Rajasthan Royals

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have their eyes set on the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final after beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2. Impact player Shahbaz Ahmed who was adjudged ‘Player of the match’ made a big statement as he said that the team wouldn’t be celebrating the win and wait for the final. 
 

In the post-match presentation, he was asked whether there will be any celebrations tonight to which he answered, “We will celebrate only after winning the final, tonight we will just relax.”
 

Shahbaz walked in to bat at no.8 after SRH suffered a double blow in the 14th over and were 120/6. Shahbaz supported wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klassen and contributed with a run-a-ball 18 in the score of 175/9. After the match, the southpaw revealed he wasn’t guaranteed to play in the Qualifier 2.
 

“The captain and coach told me depending on the situation we will use you, my role was to bat lower down the order and they said if we collapse we will send you,” he said. 

 

ALSO READ: PCB announces Pakistan's 15-member T20 World Cup 2024 squad; drops two all-rounders, no reserves named
 

Shahbaz’s stellar show with ball

The left-arm spinner used the conditions well and bagged three wickets. His scalps in the knockout game were Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag and Ravichandran Ashwin. He conceded 23 runs from his quota of four overs. Shahbaz said that he realised that the pitch will assist the spinners when he was batting. He is also happy with the atmosphere in the SRH camp. 
 

“When I was batting, I felt that this wicket has something and the way Avesh and Sandeep bowled showed. I'm feeling proud at having got the Man of the Match in such a game, the atmosphere is quite relaxed in the camp,” the 29-year-old added.
 

Idea behind Shahbaz as impact player

SRH skipper Pat Cummins revealed that it was the head coach Daniel Vettori's idea to use Shahbaz as the impact players. He also joked that the former Kiwi spinner wanted as many left-arm spinners in the side as possible.
 

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