Expected us to finish the match with an over to spare: Shreyas Iyer
Delhi captain Shreyas Iyer on Saturday said he didn't expect their IPL match against Kolkata to go into the Super Over.
Delhi Capitals captain Shreyas Iyer on Saturday said that his team did not expect their IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders to go into the Super Over in which they eventually triumphed. (READ: Rabada holds his nerve as Delhi edge out Kolkata)
“Definitely a long day at the office. We didn’t expect it to go that deep, expected us to finish it with an over to spare,” Iyer said after his side won the match in Super Over.
Chasing 186 for a win, the Delhi scored 185/6 to tie the match and take it to the Super Over – the eighth time it has happened in the history of IPL.
“Credit must go to Kuldeep Yadav for that over (last over).”
Talking about his pacer Kagiso Rabada who bowled the Super Over brilliantly, Iyer said, “Kagiso and I had a chat before the super over and he told me that he would go for yorkers all through, first, second, third, every ball. It takes some special skill to execute that.”
On KKR’s swashbuckling batsman Andre Russell who scored 62 off 28 balls, Iyer said, “You can’t control Andre Russell when he gets going. Even his mistimes go for sixes and even the bowlers find it tough to plan against him when things just don’t go to plan.
“All our batters decided that whoever gets going should take the side home, and Prithvi Shaw did that for us. Hopefully he can continue doing it for us.”
He said all the players were taking the responsibility. “I am really happy with myself as well because I refused to let the pressure come onto me after a few dots.”
Rabada, on his part, said, “We weren’t sure who was going to bowl and then Hopesy came up to me and said I was going to bowl that over. Obviously, lots of nerves. I just saw it as a simulation and glad it paid off. You have to keep your wits about you and be really clear on what you have to bowl. I just went with yorkers and it worked in the end. I was clear and backed my plan.”
Shaw, who was adjudged the man of the match for his 55-ball 99, said, “I thought I missed the opportunity to finish the game. Rather than scoring one run, I was looking to hit it big because I didn’t want the game to get this close. But the boys finished it off really well in the super over. I spoke to my support-staff, Ricky, Sourav, Praveen Amre and I figured out that I was going a little too hard early.”
He said the pitch changed a bit as the bowlers’ marks opened up. “Kuldeep and Piyush were getting good turn. Batting became difficult, but we were looking to pick the singles and doubles. I have ten more matches to come and I am hoping to continue with the same intensity in the rest of them as well.”
KKR captain Dinesh Karthik said, “I think it was a great game, both teams fought pretty well. It went to the Super over and they came out on top. I think Prasidh (who bowled the Super Over) has been bowling consistently for us at the death, it was a straight forward decision to make. And I think he bowled really well. He has been bowling the tough overs, so we need to back him. It was a topsy-turvy kinda game.”