Jharkhands Anukul enjoys batting up the order

After taking two for 13 to help Jharkhand restrict Karnataka to 157 for nine, Anukul Roy then single-handedly dragged his team over the line, finishing with an unbeaten 95 off 58 balls (9×4, 5×6) in a two-wicket win with two balls to spare in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Friday.

Jharkhand’s chase was basically Anukul versus Karnataka. Six batters fell for single digits, and skipper Ishan Kishan’s 15 was the next-best score. Walking in at 38 for three in the fourth over, Anukul watched wickets tumble one after another, but did not allow the collapse to touch his tempo or conviction.

“I thought that if I played positively, we could bounce back. I had that mindset to get some boundaries off my bat. But it was tough. The boundary was coming from one end and not from the other. I had to play well. So, I was taking care of that. Whatever chances I could take, I did. It was a pitch where it was easier to take singles and doubles,” he said after the win.

Speaking about his goal for this T20 season, he said: “I spoke with Dhoni bhai during the IPL. He told me that I have to perform in as many matches as I can in domestic cricket. So, that’s my focus. The more I perform here, the more chances I will get to play (in the IPL).

“Earlier, I used to bat lower down the order. Now, I bat at No. 4 or 5. So, I prepared for those situations and have been doing well. The team is also backing me.”

Talking about his IPL experience, Anukul, who has won a title with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), said: “If you are confident, then everything is easy. If you get intimidated by an India player or a foreigner, then that’s a problem. You have to learn to back your skills and not take pressure.”