NEW DELHI:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
head coach
Andy Flower
said that each of their next seven games will have to be treated like a playoff after his team's sixth loss in seven Indian Premier League games.
RCB lost by 25 runs to Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Monday, which was another blow for their hopes of making the playoffs.
“It is obviously knockout time and every game is like a semifinal for us now.
But we will have to think that we will come back stronger,” Flower said on RCB Game Day.
RCB conceded the highest-ever IPL total – 287 for three – as the Hyderabad batters went on a merry ride against their directionless bowlers.
Flower admitted that it was a tough night for his side.
“It was a really tough night in the field, of course, as they finished so powerfully that it probably took the wind out of our souls,” he said.
However, Flower found shards of positives during RCB's chase such as Dinesh Karthik's superlative 83 off 35 balls and skipper Faf Du Plessis' 28-ball 62.
The Zimbabwean wanted to build on them in the coming matches.
“I am really proud of the way we fought with the bat out there in the middle. We lost the game but I was really proud of the way we fought,” said Flower.
The former England coach lauded Karthik for the way he took on SRH bowlers, and said it would not be surprising if the wicketkeeper batter made it to India's T20 World Cup squad.
“Dinesh Karthik is really making a push for the World Cup team (of India) as well and is only getting better on the field,” he added.
RCB will next face Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on April 21.
(With inputs from PTI)
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