'Important to mix up deliveries to confuse batters': DC's Shardul Thakur after win over PBKS
May 17, 2022
Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 17 : After his side's 17-run win over Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals pacer Shardul Thakur on Monday said that it was important to mix up deliveries while bowling in order to confuse the batters.
Mitchell Marsh struck a valuable 63 and Thakur's brilliant 4/36, which included the wicket of Jitesh Sharma, who threatened to take the match from the Capitals in the death overs, helped the side seal an important win over PBKS to keep their playoff hopes alive.
"There was a difference between the boundaries on both sides of the ground. Sixes could be hit on the longer side too so it was important that bowlers mixed up deliveries while bowling so as to confuse the batters. Knuckleball was used, then if a leftie (left-arm pacer) arrived, off cutters were bowled, seam ball, slow bouncer and bouncers were utilized. Today was the day of mixed bowling," Thakur said during a post-match conference.
Thakur said that the win was extremely important for the side.
"We could not get the momentum we needed during our first few games. We have our next game on May 21, till then, a lot of changes would happen in the table, and a lot of teams will be out. Let us see what happens," he added.
The bowler further said that DC's fielding has improved since the first ten games.
"There were a few misfields, half chances. It may look easy on TV, but it is difficult on the field," he added.
Thakur remarked that there was something in the pitch that did not allow batters to score after six overs, which made the middle order of both sides struggle.
Coming to the match, put to bat first by PBKS, DC scored a respectable 159/7 in their 20 overs, powered by Marsh (63), Sarfaraz Khan (32) and Lalit Yadav (24). The rest of the Capitals' batting struggled against Punjab bowlers, with Liam Livingstone (3/27) and Arshdeep Singh (3/37) being the pick of the bowlers for PBKS.
Chasing 160, PBKS were off a solid start with Bairstow attacking, but soon its batting lineup collapsed. Jitesh Sharma (44) and Rahul Chahar (25) fought back, but Thakur's 4/36 meant that they were left 17-runs short of a win.
DC are now at the fourth position in points tally with 14 points. Their next match against Mumbai Indians on May 21. On the other hand, PBKS is at seventh with 12 points and their next game is against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 22.
