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‘So, the expectations are very high here and you have to perform in every match. So, it was for that man, if I wouldn't play this match this performance would have never come.’
Chennai Super Kings pacer Deepak Chahar said he is happy to have played his part in the team's six-wicket win over Punjab Kings, at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, on Friday.
His four wickets helped CSK restrict Punjab Kings to a paltry 106 for 8. He returned figures of 4 for 13 from his four overs, including a maiden.
In response, CSK easily chased down the target with 26 balls to spare, thanks to a quickfire 46 off 31 balls from Moeen Ali.
"It was an important spell for me. After losing the first game it was important to have the start like this. It was an important match for us to win. I'm happy that I contributed to the victory," the pacer said, in a video posted on the IPL's official website, while being interviewed by teammate and fellow-pacer Shardul Thakur.
"After this performance, I will say that this is one of my favourite grounds. There was help from the wicket at the start. It was not so in the last match on this ground, but today there was help from the wicket," he added.
Asked by Thakur whether he sticks to the plans discussed in the team meetings, Chahar replied: "The last few matches on this ground were high-scoring, so we discussed various field plans according to the each over in the meetings. As a bowler, it is difficult to pick whether to bowl on plan A or bowl defensively, but today plan B, C were not required."
Chahar shared a funny story related to the last match, saying, "I got a message on social media that ‘bhai you are a very good bowler but don't play the next game’. So, the expectations are very high here and you have to perform in every match. So, it was for that man; if I wouldn't play this match this performance would have never come."
Shardul went on to say, "Support the players as they do a lot of hard work. Keep showering the love on us and we will continue to do our best."
Chahar's best IPL performance of 4-1-13-4 also included 18 dot balls and earned rich praise from Team India head coach Ravi Shastri.
"Proven fact. Genuine swing both ways with control can undo the best. Super variations. Brilliant," Shastri tweeted.