DD win away from getting back on track: Plunkett
NEWDELHI:DELHI Daredevils came agonisingly close to victory in their game against Kings XI Punjab at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium on Monday, but a controlled last over from Mujeeb Ur Rahman clinched the game for the visitors.
With 17 needed from the last over, Daredevils’ top scorer Shreyas Iyer scored 12 off the first five deliveries but was caught in the deep off the final ball. Liam Plunkett, who was the pick of the bowlers for Delhi Daredevils with three wickets, said they expected to win the game and the loss was ‘frustrating’ for the entire team.
“It was disappointing to lose such a close game. I think we should have won this match, but this is how cricket works. You can play well for 39 overs but it all depends on how you finish the game. It is really frustrating for all of us,” Plunkett said.
Plunkett, who was a late addition to the Daredevils squad as a replacement for the injured Kagiso Rabada, made his debut and his impact was instant.
Asked about his performance, Plunkett said that his experience during the 2016 ICC World T20 helped him in adapting to the conditions. “It was a great feeling to finally get a game in the IPL. I wanted to perform well for the side and I am extremely happy that I was able to take crucial wickets on my debut in the competition,” he added.
“From the beginning, we knew that the wicket is assisting the bowlers and this was really similar to the turf I played on during the 2016 World T20. I played three games for England here and that experience helped me get accustomed,” he said.
This was Daredevils’ fifth loss and are stuck at the bottom of the table. Plunkett admitted the situation is not ideal but added they need just one victory to get back on track. “We have to remember there are a lot of games left . All we need is one good win and that momentum will help us in stitching together good results.”