Ben Cutting blames inconsistent batting performance for the loss against Rajasthan Royals

Mumbai Indians were back on track after their 3 consecutive victories following their string of losses in the 11th edition of the tournament. They needed to win all of their remaining games to qualify for the playoffs round. However, last night against Rajasthan Royals, their batting crumbled, their bowling flattered accounting to yet another loss in the tournament. Their chances now depend on other factors apart from their own big-margin victories.

Ben Cutting, the Aussie all-rounder while speaking to the press after the match suggested that inconsistent batting was one of the reasons for the failure against Rajasthan Royals. Notably, Mumbai Indians openers Suryakumar Yadav and Evan Lewis provided a fluent start to the side adding 87 runs for the first wicket in just 10 overs.

However, the batting line-up failed to utilize the brilliant start and could only put on 168 runs which can be hard to defend at the Wankhede Stadium. Skipper Rohit Sharma‘s first-ball duck did not help the Mumbai Indians’ cause as they lost wickets at regular intervals.

Can’t blame the bowling: Ben Cutting

Cutting felt that blaming the bowlers will be wrong. “I’m not going to put it down to their bowling. It’s probably back to our batting. A few times this time we’ve fallen in a heap and sort of lost quick three or four wickets in three overs for not many runs. So when you lose 2 for 20, 3 for 30, it’s tough to build up and fire again regardless of the bowling,” said the all-rounder who did not get an opportunity to bowl to Jos Buttler who notched up his 5th half-century in a row.

Cutting praised Buttler’s red-hot form but was of the thought that they were close to getting him out through their plans. “It’s tough. We were pretty close to our plans tonight. (He) missed a few balls with execution here and there but that happens in Twenty20 cricket. He’s in red-hot form and he’s scored over 500 runs. But his confidence is high; he’s striking the ball well,” added Cutting.

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