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Delhi Capitals' bowling attack one of the best in IPL: Pant

September 25, 2021 21:43 IST

IMAGE: Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag is bowled by Delhi Capitals spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Photograph: BCCI

His bowlers delivering the goods yet again while defending a modest total against Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant on Saturday claimed that their attack is one the best in the IPL.

 

Delhi's bowling unit, comprising the likes of South African pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel, once again came to the team's rescue in the 33-run win against Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

"If not the best, it is one of the best," Pant said after the match.

"But we like to take it as one match at a time.There is a fair bit of planning, as a team we plan according to the batters, and execute according to those plans," he added.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, who scored 24 off as many deliveries, stitched a crucial 62-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer to boost Delhi's total in the middle overs.

"I am happy with my form. As long as the team is winning, I am happy," Pant said.

"We (Pant and Iyer) have batted together for a long time. He bats at three and I bat at five normally so that helps," he added.

Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson rued the lost chance to grab two points after restricting Delhi to a modest total.

"A target of 155 with the quality of batsmen we have, I thought it was chaseable. We had the batting to go after it. I think we will come back stronger in the next game.

"The emotions are on the higher side, we'll think about it tomorrow morning. The pitch was not that slow. It was holding up, but if we had a few wickets in hand we could have got the over the line," Samson added.

Iyer, who had missed the first leg of the tournament due to injury, was adjudged man of the match for his 43 off 32 balls.

"The last five months have been hectic, but now I am feeling amazing. I have a close-knit family and friends. They motivated me, and once rehab started, my power came back quicker than I thought. I love to take on the bowlers," Iyer said.

Reflecting on his innings, Iyer said the plan was to take on the spinners.

"Just decided to see how the wicket was playing and then take it from there and look to take on the spinners later."

On his partnership with Pant, Iyer said: "Rishabh and I have been playing together for the last five years. It is good fun because he takes on bowlers as soon as he comes on."

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