How Patel and Siraj helped RCB turn around vs Delhi
After de Villiers’s 75 perks up Challengers, Hetmyer’s 25-ball 53 almost turns match around for Delhi
NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pacer Harshal Patel has said that he was just looking to execute his yorkers at the death against Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Mohammed Siraj defended 14 runs in the final over as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) registered a thrilling one-run win over Delhi Capitals here at the Narendra Modi Stadium. With that win, RCB moved to the top spot in the IPL standings with 10 points from six games.
“My plan was simple. I was looking to bowl yorkers as long as I could execute it. We saw in the first innings that the yorkers which were executed properly were difficult to get away so I was just looking to execute my yorkers. When I was traded to RCB, Virat Kohli and the man agement told me that I would be bowling in the middle and death overs. After that, I started working on my yorkers and I brought that confidence into games,” Harshal told teammate Mohammed Siraj in a video posted on the official website of IPL.
Harshal ended up with the figures of 2-37 from his four overs and he ended up taking the wickets of Prithvi Shaw and Marcus Stoinis.
Earlier, AB de Villiers’ unbeaten knock of 75 runs off just 42 balls helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) post a score of 171/5 in the allotted twenty overs. Along with de Villiers, Rajat Patidar and Glenn Maxwell also chipped in with knocks of 31 and 25. For Delhi Capitals, all the five bowlers used by skipper Rishabh Pant ended up taking one wicket each.
Delhi Capitals will next take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Thursday at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Meanwhile, Siraj has said his confidence is really high after playing Test cricket for India.
“I backed my yorker at the death as it was coming out really well and I was able to execute it really well. I was single minded in executing the yorkers to Rishabh and Hetmyer and I thought if they hit a good shot, so be it,” Siraj told host broadcaster Star Sports.
“Obviously my confidence is high after playing Test cricket. My line and length has improved because of it and sharing the dressing room with Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah helped me immensely,” he added.
Earlier, AB de Villiers’ unbeaten knock of 75 off just 42 balls helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) post a score of 171/5 in the allotted 20 overs. Along with de Villiers, Rajat Patidar and Glenn Maxwell also chipped in with knocks of 31 and 25.
For Delhi Capitals, all the five bowlers used by skipper Rishabh Pant ended up taking one wicket each.
RCB will next lock horns against Punjab Kings on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Delhi Capitals batsman Shimron Hetmyer, who played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 53 from 25 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Tuesday, has expressed that it was a heart-breaking loss for the team but added that the side tried hard to take the match as close as possible. Rishabh Pant and Hetmyer remained unbeaten on 58 and 53 for Delhi Capitals.
“I felt we were in the game throughout the time I was in the middle. I felt very good tonight (against RCB). I thought we could’ve gotten past whatever they threw at us. We tried our best to take the game as close as we could have, but I guess, it just wasn’t our night. It was heart-breaking, to be honest. I really think we could have gotten there, but that’s how cricket goes. You win some and you lose some and tonight just wasn’t ours to cross the line. I think we have a lot to learn from this match,” the 24-yearold said in the Delhi Capitals release.
Hetmyer, who strung an unbeaten 78-run partnership with Rishabh Pant, said that he hopes to get more chances of batting with the skipper in the upcoming games.
“It’s much easier to bat with someone who’s game is just the same as yours and we run well between the wickets. We had batted together during a match simulation as well. It’s always nice to bat with Rishabh and I hope that we continue to get a chance to bat with each other,” he said.
The West Indian, who scored his first fifty for the Delhi Capitals, said that he was satisfied with his personal performance.
“It was a pretty satisfying performance for me. I have been trying to get a fifty for the team since last season and trying to do something spectacular for the team. We almost got there tonight. With having the backing of the team to go out there and explode and do my thing, I’m just looking to continue to play the way I know,” Hetmyer said.
Brief scores: RCB 171/5 (Glenn Maxwell 25, AB de Villiers 75*). DC 170/4 (Rishabh Pant 58*, Shimron Hetmyer 53*; Harshal Patel 2/37). RCB won by 1 run.