An awesome performance by a combo Zaheer Khan and Nathan Coulter Nile ensured their crew members that they will departure from Ferozeshah Kotla on a victory note and keep themselves in the ciphering as the Pepsi IPL 2015 now enters in the second half of the league phase. Zaheer Khan the Indian pacer had set up the game early on by putting up his name two times in the wicket list. He also marshelled the bowling attack by helping his squad by restricting Kings XI Punjab to 118.
The bowling unit rose to the occasion as a unit to chalk up a awesome victory, while Zaheer and his skipper JP Duminy planned and plotted. Coulter Nile put his name four times in the wicket list and putted DD in commanding position. In conclusion with Zaheer Khan, he takes out David Miller and also send Axar Patel back to pavilion, who took KXIP to decent total.
The all-rounder, who came back with the Man of the Match for his four for 20, acknowledged the contribution of Zaheer Khan in the side’s bowling performance while talking to iplt20.com later.
Excerpts from the post-match interview:
You returned with your career best figures today. What were your preparations heading into the match?
I was very well rested actually. We got a few days off, I went to the gym and had a bit of run, and felt relaxed. So maybe that helped a little bit.
What were your plans for David Miller? It appeared you and Zaheer Khan had worked out a plan for him.
Zak was really good; it was good to have him out there. He was telling me about angles and things, pace of the pitch and different angles where Miller might go. So it was perfectly set up I thought. We had a fielder up there and the ball went straight to him.
What difference did it make to have Zaheer Khan in the field today?
Massive difference! His understanding of the game and his experience is a lot more. Everything he said was gold and it was really special out there and it helped me a lot.
How was it like to bowl out there?
We just went out there and got them. I don’t think it was a too bad a wicket. I think we just bowled well. Zak bowled beautifully up front. He got a couple of wickets, JP Duminy got a wicket and sometimes T20 goes that way; sometimes you get a wicket and sometimes you don’t.
You were handed the ball when three wickets had already been picked in the first three overs. Had the pressure eased a bit?
No, we still had Bailey and Miller out there; so we always had to keep pressing. We had to keep up the pressure even if they were losing wickets. Even if they got away a little bit we got them out. We knew they would go a long way at the backend.
Did you expect to restrict KXIP to so little?
No, you never expect anyone to keep them to so little. But it was fantastic the way it turned out. It was the first time we bowled first in a while so it was good to get a win.
What was the reason behind opting to bowl first?
Just the way the wicket looked, most games here the team chasing have done well. So we thought to give it a crack and came home.
How much pressure was there coming into the game given the way the points table is poised now?
There is always pressure going in to every game. So (there was) not any more (pressure) than any other game, but it’s better to win than to lose. We are not going to relax now; our next game is going to be as much pressure and we will try to win it as well.
Pleasing to leave the Kotla on a winning note?
It’s good to get a couple of wins here. It’s been a while and winning is always better.
What are the positives you take from this win?
We played well. We played as a team, everyone bowled well and we batted beautifully; so there are positives everywhere. We are just trying to keep the same process whether we lose or win so that’s what we are taking out.
Is the team getting more settled? Things seem to be coming together for DD.
Definitely! We have played a few games together now so we know and understand each other and know our roles. So it’s starting to get a little bit easier.
Could you elaborate on your role as an all-rounder?
I am a player that can fit in anywhere; I can open or bowl in the middle. At the start of the game JP (Duminy) comes and says, ‘I am thinking this and I am thinking that’. So (there is) a bit of flexibility (in my role).
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