David Warner may have walked away with the Player of the Match award but Delhi Capital's man of the evening was Rovman Powell in their IPL match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The big-hitting West Indian smoked an unbeaten 67 off 35 balls including smashing a 19-run final over from Umran Malik, which included three fours and a six. DC's move to promote Powell, who batted in the lower order in the last few matches, worked wonders as his partnership of 122 with Warner propelled the team total to a mammoth 207/3, a score that proved enough in the end as DC defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 21 runs. (Also Read: David Warner gives epic response to Shane Watson's 'ex-captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad' introduction)
After his innings, Powell revealed that he talked Rishabh Pant into making him at higher. In the last few matches, Powell, this IPL, has batted at 6, 5 and even 8 against Rajasthan Royals, but against SRH, he had decided he was much better off batting higher and spoke to his captain about it.
"Over the last year or so my ability to [bat against] spin has increased, I'm batting [against] spin a lot better and I can bat [against] pace already," Powell told host broadcaster Star Sports after his innings. "I just told him [Pant] to trust me at No. 5, give me a chance to start, to bat the first 15-20 balls, that's how I want to bat, and then [after] 20 balls I'll try to maximise.
Powell later in the press conference said that he was in fact decided with the management’s decision to make him bat in the lower order, and that it required a conversation between him, captain Pant and coach Ponting come to a conclusion.
{{/usCountry}}Powell later in the press conference said that he was in fact decided with the management’s decision to make him bat in the lower order, and that it required a conversation between him, captain Pant and coach Ponting come to a conclusion.
{{/usCountry}}"I came to the IPL knowing that I'm in good form, knowing that I've done a lot of work. At the start of the IPL, it was a little bit tough for me," Powell said. "I just keep believing in myself. I had a conversation with Rishabh, explaining to him that I was a little bit disappointed to bat at No. 8 in that game. But it is the nature of the game, whatever the situation you have been placed in, you have to do your best. Rishabh and the coach [Ricky Ponting], they came up with a conclusion and plan and let me bat a little bit earlier now."