Robin Uthappa: We will focus on our strength in the CLT20 semi-final against Hobart Hurricanes

Hyderabad, 2014/Sep/30 13:09:00 Text Size -->According to Robin Uthappa, Kolkata will look to focus on their strengths and come up with their A-game in the semi-final against Hobart. © BCCI

Four back-to-back wins in the 2014 edition of the Champions League T20 (CLT20) 2014 helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) extend their winning streak to 13 and they will be eager to make it 14 when they take on Hobart Hurricanes in the first semi-final on Thursday, 2nd October 2014. While they are riding high on a splendid preliminary campaign, KKR are aware of that the Hurricanes too are a strong team filled with quality players. According to opening batsman, Robin Uthappa, his side will look to focus on their strengths and come up with their A-game in the knock-out match.

"I think they (Hobart Hurricanes) have been playing good cricket. I think some of their batsmen are really doing well. It is a good bowling side. We as a unit respect their side. But at the same time, we possess our strengths as well," Uthappa said.

"So, I think we will focus more on our strengths and our abilities and sticking to our processes which have been working for us thus far. It is an important game. It is played in the afternoon. We are looking forward to the challenge. It is few days away. So looking forward to the break, practice the following day and prepare for the game" he said, in the post-match press conference late on Monday night after his team thrashed Dolphins by 36 runs.

Uthappa, who hit a superb unbeaten 85 against the South African side, was pleased with his performance while he was also happy that Manish Pandey found form. "I am feeling extremely happy. I think we have got kind of a pattern of going about our business on the field. It was a slightly different wicket from the other wickets we played. It was good wicket, good challenging wicket, something for bowlers as well. For me, it was important to hold one end up. I am happy I was able to do that. Glad Manish (Pandey) stuck the way he did," he said.

Uthappa said it is his responsibility as a opener to ensure a decent start for Kolkata. He also said he has been a lot more disciplined in the past couple of years, which has helped him a lot.

"I worked on my game quite a bit. So I look to time the ball a lot more. I look to play the ball on merit. That's what I have been doing for the last couple of years. So I know it is my responsibility as an opening batsman to hold one end up for the team. I know that if I play to the merit of the ball and focus on rotating the strike, I know I have the ability to put away the bad balls for boundaries. I am just trying to do that to the best of my ability," he said.

When asked about Kolkata's recipe for success, Uthappa said they always take a very professional approach no matter which team they are playing against.

"We just set ourselves up for whatever is there on that particular day. I think that is very important to be able to keep an open mind to say that anything is possible, instead of probably achieving the impossible. So we keep our minds open and go about our business pretty professionally. I think that is a reason for our success so far," he said.

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