DD defeated CSK at home. (Source: BCCI)
Delhi Daredevils pulled off a surprise win over Chennai Super Kings at home after they defeated the visitors by 34 runs. Chasing 163 in 20 overs, CSK batsmen failed to take their team over the line. Harshal Patel who was recruited by DD from RCB in this edition was adjudged man of the match for his figures of 1/23 in 4 overs. Earlier, Patel also chipped in with an unbeaten 36 off 16.
“I think bowling was the more difficult skill on this pitch, considering how the ground and pitch are, and especially with the dew coming into play in the latter part of the innings. We stuck to our plans and executed really well. It’s all about consistency (4-over spells), so they are more important than batting cameos. You can bowl one really good over, and one over can lose you a game. I was watching Bravo’s hand really well, and I know he is good at bowling slower balls, so I just backed myself to not get deceived, and that was my only plan: to watch the ball well and react to whatever he was bowling. It’s about consistency: how often I can produce performances like this and win games for my team. That’s important for me. I have been studying my own game really well. It was about not trying to do anything out of my capabilities and stick to what I have. I have enough skill to perform at this level. It was just about being confident and executing my skills well,” he said in the post-match presentation.
Delhi Daredevils captain Shreyas Iyer admitted that his team needed the win and said “We were craving for this victory, and coming against one of the best teams is satisfying. All departments did well and lived up to the expectations. It wasn’t easy to bat on this wicket, and Harshal coming at number 7 in that last over was amazing. That performance was not expected and that just goes to show what he is here for. That last over played a major role in getting us to 162. We were never lacking in preparation from the beginning of the tournament, it’s just that we were not able to execute what we had planned in the nets and all the three departments weren’t clicking together, which happened today and in all the games that we won.”
Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane explained about the track and how it played. ” It was slightly skiddy wicket and I have to thank each and every supporter who came and supported us. The way every player contributed in this game, I think that helped me a lot. The way Harshal and Vijay finished towards the end, it was something like that which helped me to bowl in the right areas. I think they were well set at that moment (Raina and Dhoni in the middle) and I was trying to bowl my best ball and suddenly we got the wicket we wanted and the game changed from there. It happens sometimes (Pant’s drop catch). You hold onto great catches and you drop some and I think everyone contributed well. Enjoying myself. I want to thank everyone especially everyone back in Nepal. I want to thank IPL for giving me a chance and also want to thank DD.”
Chennai Super Kings captain too suggested that the wicket was slightly difficult in the second half.
“I think the wicket slightly got more difficult in the second half. I think it was evident, nobody was middling it well in our innings. Wicket kept getting slower and slower. Their bowlers also bowled really well. Difficult to predict how the wicket behaves, sometimes it behaves well and sometimes it turns like this. I think if we batted better, we needed someone to score those extra 15-20 runs. (On the loss) Specially looking at the wicket, not that fussed. Have to be practical looking at the wicket as long as we know where we went wrong. Something going wrong is a part and parcel but if you know the reason why it went wrong, it becomes easier to come back from that. We know the reasons and what we could have done slightly different,” Dhoni said.
“It was the Daredevils’ bowling, however, which really caught the eye. They stuck to their lengths, used their variations judiciously, and were smart enough to outfox one of the greatest finishers in the modern game. The experienced Amit Mishra and the rookie Nepali wrist-spinner were magnificent, as was Boult. Impossible to pick out one performance – this was the definition of a team effort. Other than Avesh and Maxwell, the other four bowlers conceded at less than 6 an over and managed to be miserly against a legendary batting unit. After Rayudu departed, the sigh of relief on Maxwell’s face (after he took the catch) said it all, and the Daredevils dominated the rest of the game. Overall, yes, slightly disappointed with the loss but I don’t think we could have done much. (Whether complacency came) What I told them is not to look at the points table, take it one game at a time. Keep strengthening what your strengths are, at the same time also strengthen your weaknesses. We also want to improve in certain areas. Apart from the openers, we need to get partnerships in the middle order. We’ve not used too many batsmen in this tournament so far but anybody can get opportunities from hereon. They need to be mentally ready for this than physically. I think apart from that, we are doing well. If we get our death bowling sorted out, it will be very good. Still have one more game and then into the eliminators (playoffs), so let’s see. (On death bowling worries) We’ll try to manage it, that’s what the reality is. At the end of the day, you can give 100 different plans to the bowlers, depends on his strength and the conditions. Lot of times, you’ll have to shuffle the bowlers according to how the wicket is doing, that’s what we’ll have to do in the playoffs. Those are the games when you need to be at your best. It includes everybody, anyone can have an off day but if someone can chip in with one or two overs, we can cover it up. That’s the real time when everyone has to play as a team,” he added.