'Would never take that single if I got PBKS match 100 times': Samson stands firm despite Morris heroics against DC
Sanju Samson, who decided to keep the strike by not taking a single, backing himself to hit a six off Arshdeep Singh’s last ball, said he wouldn’t have taken the single if he played that same match against PBKS 100 times again.
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson defended his decision of denying a single and letting Chris Morris face the last ball against Punjab Kings when 5 runs were required. Samson stood firm in his stance despite Morris finishing off RR’s next match against Delhi Capitals with some clean ball-striking towards the end of IPL 2021 match No.7 in Mumbai.
Samson, who decided to keep the strike, backing himself to hit a six off Arshdeep Singh’s last ball, said he wouldn’t have taken the single if played that same match against PBKS 100 times again.
“I always sit back and review my game, but if I got that match 100 times, I would never take that single,” Samson said in the most-match presentation when asked if he would reconsider his decision after seeing Morris hit four sixes in the last two overs against premier DC bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Tom Curran to seal a three wicket win for RR.
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Morris scored 36 off 18 balls, stitching an unbroken 46-run stand with Jaydev Unadkat off just 23 balls to win the match for Royals with two balls to spare.
Morris, for his part, said, he would have come back for the second run anyway. “I was gonna run back no matter what because Sanju was hitting it so sweetly. People underestimate how fast I run. Sanju was hitting it like a dream that night. I wouldn't have been too upset if he had hit the last ball for a six,” said Morris after the DC match.
Apart from Morris, David Miller too played a crucial innings in resurrecting Royal’s innings after they were reduced to 42 for 5 thanks to some brilliant new-ball bowling from Chris Woakes and Kagiso Rabada. Miller scored 62 off 43 balls.
Samson admitted that he had almost lost hopes of winning the match but kept praying for Morris to hit sixes.
“To be very honest, I thought that it was tough from 40 for 5. We had Miller and Morris, but I thought it was tough. I was praying inside, Morris can you please get one six,” he said.
The RR captain praised his bowlers for restricting DC to a low total.
“It's about reading the conditions. It was a little sticky at the start. Taking pace off is the strength of our fast bowlers and that worked out. We had a chat with Chetan and he was confident and clear and I thought he could take the responsibility,” he said.