Delhi Capitals started the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a stunning victory by seven wickets and eight balls to spare which came on the back of Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan. Shikhar Dawan (85) and Prithvi Shaw (72) added more than 100 runs for the opening wicket. Before that, Chris Woakes and Avesh Khan bowled well too.
“Prithvi was batting really well. He carried on with his form from Vijay Hazare. It was important to get off to a good start because we were chasing a big total. I have to innovate a few shots and I enjoy taking up challenges. I was playing the ball close to the body,” said the veteran.”The wicket was a little sticky. I knew my game plan. It is tremendous to watch Prithvi. He played some effortless shots. So good and so happy for him as he didn’t have a good IPL last time around.”
On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni said that bowlers need to do well after their poor show in the first game. Despite the heroics of Suresh Raina, who smashed a blistering fifty and at late boost by the young Sam Curran who hammered a 15-ball 36 with 4 fours and 2 sixes. They posted 188 runs in their allotted 20 overs as well.
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“We could have bowled slightly better, and if batters are hitting you over the fields, that’s fair enough. The execution of the bowlers was poor and there were boundary balls that they bowled, but the bowlers will have learned and they will apply that in the future games,” Dhoni added.
However, dew played its part in the game as CSK failed to restrict Delhi Capitals. “A lot depended on dew, and that factor played on our mind from the start and that’s why we wanted to get as many runs as possible. The batters did a good job to reach 188 because it was tacky until dew settled in 50 minutes later. The opposition have half an hour advantage in a 7:30 start when the pitch is really tacky and the ball stops a bit, so we need to get 15-20 runs extra to be safe.”
“If we get dew consistently, then 200 will be a must on a pitch like this. The bowlers bowled a great line when it was stopping and seaming a bit, and the openers got really good balls in which they got out and that can happen in a game like this,” MS Dhoni concluded.
