Delhi Daredevils just a win away from getting back on track in IPL 2018: Liam Plunkett

Delhi Daredevils (DD) came agonisingly close to victory in their 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) game against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium on Monday, but a controlled last over from Mujeeb Ur Rahman clinched the game for the visitors. With 17 runs needed from the last over, Daredevils’ top-scorer Shreyas Iyer scored 12 runs off the first five deliveries but was caught in the deep off the final ball. (DD vs KXIP highlights)

Liam Plunkett, who was the pick of the bowlers for Delhi Daredevils with three wickets, said they expected to win the game and the loss was ‘frustrating’ for the entire team. (DD vs KXIP scorecard)

“It was really disappointing to lose such a close game. I think we should have won this match, but this is how cricket works. You can play well for 39 overs but it all depends on how you finish the game. It is really frustrating for all of us,” Plunkett said at the post-match press conference.

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Liam Plunkett, who was a late addition to the Daredevils squad as a replacement for the injured Kagiso Rabada, made his debut for the hosts on Monday and his impact was instant. He dismissed the in-form duo of KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal in his first spell and then came back to take the wicket of Karun Nair who was looking dangerous for Kings XI Punjab. When asked about his performance, Plunkett said that his experience during the 2016 ICC World T20 helped him in adapting to the conditions.

“It was a great feeling to finally get a game in the IPL. I wanted to perform well for the side and I am extremely happy that I was able to take crucial wickets on my debut in the competition,” he added.

“From the beginning, we knew that the wicket is assisting the bowlers and this was really similar to the turf I played on during the 2016 ICC World T20. I played three games for England at this venue and that experience helped me in getting accustomed to the situation,” said Plunkett.

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This was Delhi Daredevils’ fifth loss in the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) and they are stuck at the bottom of the points table. Plunkett admitted that the situation is not ideal for his team, but the England pacer added they need just one victory to get back on track.

“We have remember that there are a lot of games left in the tournament. All we need is one good win and that momentum will help us in stitching together good results,” he said.

First Published: Apr 24, 2018 08:22 IST