Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul credited his bowlers as the team managed to defend 126 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi and pacer Mohammed Shami led Punjab’s efforts as they shared five wickets amongst themselves. 

Punjab won the match by five runs despite a brilliant all-round performance by Hyderabad’s Jason Holder. The West Indian remained unbeaten at 47 runs and picked two wickets in the losing cause. 

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“We are playing some entertaining cricket and have been doing for the last two or three years, but I’ll take the win. He (Holder) played exceedingly well. First with the ball, taking those two wickets in an over and then batted really well, on a track where it was difficult to play the big shots,” KL Rahul said. 

The 21-year-old Bishnoi (3/24) ran through the SRH middle order after veteran India pacer Mohammed Shami rocked the run chase early on by dismissing both David Warner (2) and captain Kane Williamson (1) cheaply in the first and third overs respectively.

“We wanted to get another 20-30 more runs but we’ll take the win. It gives us a belief that no matter what the situation is, our bowlers can get the opposition out if we get a decent score. Shami to start of, bowled really well, getting two big batters in Warner and Williamson. Made it easier for our spinners to settle into a nice line and length,” he added. 

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The Punjab skipper, who also opens for them, did admit that that the batsmen failed to step up. He also lauded Harpreet Brar for first playing a run-a-ball 18 run-knock and then bowling economically. 

SRH needed 21 from the final two overs and Arshdeep Singh conceded just four runs from the penultimate over. Needing 17 runs from the final over bowled by Nathan Ellis, Holder hit a six in the second ball but SRH needed a six to tie the score and take the match to Super Over.

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“Lesson for the batsmen would be to realise that it’s not a 160-170 surface, if we had built a few partnerships, we could have got to 140-150. He (Harpreet) has been good for us, he can do everything. Has finished some games for us, also gives us control with the ball and great in the field. Everytime I go to him, he tells me ‘Paaji (Brother) don’t worry, I won’t leak runs’. That’s his attitude,” he said.