Royal Challengers Bangalore team (Courtesy: Twwitter Handle of RCB)
Kolkata: Riding on the fantastic unbeaten century (112 off 54 balls) from Rajat Patidar, Royal Challengers beat Lucknow Super Giants by 14 runs in the IPL Eliminator at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Wednesday. Terming it to be a special day RCB skipper Faf du Plessis said that he was over the moon seeing Rajat play today.
"Today was a special day. I am over the moon with the way Rajat played. In a match like today, it's a bit more pressure. The way he played and celebrated his hundred, tells me that he's got a good head on his shoulder. I thought our bowlers were clear and calm. Rajat has got all the shots and the way he attacks. Every time we are under a little bit of pressure, the way he comes and attacks...It is important to use the occasion and celebrate for the hard work we have done today. The most important thing was we were high on emotion and were very happy. I felt that we were very high and we come down to keep clarity and be calm for the game," said Plessis.
On his conversations with Harshal, the skipper said that he is a high-pressure time bowler. "Every single time I am under pressure I can go to him. He told me that I want the pressure over, which was one of my first conversations with him," said Plessis.
Player of the match, Rajat Patidar, said, "I have been timing the ball and that was the focus, instead of powering the ball. In the last over of the powerplay, when I was facing Krunal Pandya, the way I could execute my plans, I felt I could score big today. My focus was about cashing in on the opportunity and looked to play with the straight bat and time it. I don't come under pressure even after facing dots because of the ability I know I have. I wasn't picked up in the auction but was involved in my practice and that helped."
Meanwhile, LSG captain KL Rahul said, "It's quite obvious the reasons why we didn't win the game. We let ourselves down in the field. The difference between the teams ...Patidar's knock. When a player from the top ends up playing a good knock, the team ends up winning. It's a new franchise. We have made a lot of mistakes but you've got to learn from it and come back stronger. We are a young team, the group of under 25, has done well in patches. Mohsin Khan has showed everybody how good he is and what skill he possesses. It's his first season and is important to take confidence from this and go home and work harder. He'll clock up more speeds and deliver better next year."
