Jaipur, May 24 (PTI) Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer acknowledged that his bowlers struggled with discipline during their six-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals in Saturday's Indian Premier League clash.
Asked to bat first, Punjab Kings set an impressive 206 for 8, with Iyer leading the scorecard with 53 runs off 34 balls. Marcus Stoinis added a brilliant cameo of 44 not out off just 16 balls, featuring three fours and four sixes.
Nevertheless, Delhi Capitals chased down the 207-run target with three balls remaining, thanks to Sameer Rizvi's explosive 58 not out off 25 balls, which included three fours and five sixes. Contributions from Karun Nair and KL Rahul, who scored 44 and 35 respectively, helped DC secure 208 for 4 in 19.3 overs.
"207 was a fantastic score on this wicket. There was some variable bounce and it wasn't coming on at the same pace," Iyer commented during the post-match presentation.
"We weren't disciplined enough with the ball. We assessed the wicket and decided to bowl hard lengths at the stumps, but we went overboard with bouncers trying to take wickets." Despite the loss, Iyer, whose team had already secured a playoff berth, remained unworried.
"Every team is equally poised in this tournament, you have to stay positive and calm. We'll come back with a strong set of plans." Addressing the finger injury sustained against Rajasthan Royals on May 18, Iyer remarked, "No issues with the body, just the finger, should be fine for the next game."
Delhi Capitals captain Faf du Plessis emphasized the importance of finishing strong, even though his team fell short of making the playoffs.
"Fifth (place) is a fair reflection of our season, need to be more consistent to be in the top-four," he stated.
The South African captain, reflecting on how their playoff spot slipped after four consecutive wins, said, "(It's) one of the great mysteries. Combination of confidence, lack of form and basics."
"When you're playing well, small margins go with you. Every single time, there were five-six over windows in both batting and bowling where we let it slip."
He praised Vippy (Vipraj Nigam) for his excellent performance throughout the season, calling him "a find for us with the ball, he was good with bat too making him a great asset."
Player of the match Sameer Rizvi expressed gratitude for his recent hard work. "I didn't have confidence before that, but it has come after this innings. When I went in, we needed more than 120. I took 4-5 balls, knew that the wicket was good, and then played my shots."
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