Delhi Capitals captain David Warner said that Trent Boult's lethal double-wicket opening over made all the difference in his team’s 57-run loss in their Indian Premier League match against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Saturday.
Boult (3/29) scalped the wickets of Prithvi Shaw (0) and Manish Pandey (0) in successive deliveries to rock DC's run chase of 200. DC could just manage 142/9 to cap a hat-trick of defeats in the ongoing IPL.
"Can't take the credit from how good a bowler Trent Boult is in the powerplay and he bowled extremely well. It was always going to be a challenge to come out here and chase 200 with early wickets in the powerplay," Warner said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Warner waged a lone battle with his second half-century in three matches but the Australia veteran's 55-ball 65 never posed any threat.
"It's always difficult when we are losing wickets at the other end. It is frustrating. I have been hitting a lot of the fielders of late, but I will keep going out there and back myself," he said, adding 175-180 was the par score in Guwahati.
"We are professional athletes, and have to go back in the nets. It's about executing, and hopefully we can regroup."
Rajasthan Royals’ spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal (3/27) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/25) were on top of their game and made life difficult for DC.
South African left-hander Rilee Rossouw looked to revive RR's run chase but Ashwin cut short his innings for 14, bowling in the power-play.
"He (Ashwin) reads the batters very well. He is always looking at the batters and getting the hints. They had a lot of left-handers and bowling Ash bhai a few overs were crucial," Samson said.
