My decision to bowl a spinner last over backfired: Shikhar Dhawan

Dharamshala's first game in over 10 years was a roller-coaster ride. There are very few games that can match the entertainment value of what we saw tonight. Multiple dropped catches, missed run-outs, misfields, and yet, Delhi somehow ended up being the team with lesser errors.  

After winning the toss and opting to bowl, Shikhar's men started off well in the first couple of overs. But, it only went downhill from there. 

"And before that the fast bowlers didn't pitch the ball up in the powerplay. That was the plan but we didn't execute. It is hurting us. Every powerplay we are giving 50-60 runs and not taking wickets. We knew the first two-three overs it would swing, and we knew we could take our time. While batting, our first over was also a maiden, which doesn't often happen," the PBKS skipper said.

Even in the fag end, they bizarrely asked Harpreet Brar to bowl to a well set Rilee Rossouw. 

"It was frustrating, but I don't think we bowled well in the first six overs. We should have taken some wickets the way the ball was moving around. You always hope. After that no-ball, we hoped because Livi was playing a great knock. Even my decision to bowl a spinner last over backfired," he added. 

Despite ending on the winning side, David Warner also echoed Shikhar Dhawan's frustrations.

"It was a bad performance in the field but we will take the win. We lost the toss but batted with fluidity. The wicket helped after the inconsistent pitches at home," he said.

Talking about the season, Warned felt that not being able to have conditions suited to their squad hurt them big time. 

"You want consistency from your home venue. We haven't been able to work out what am good total there is," he added.

With both teams out of the the tournament, there's still a lot else to play for. Importantly, they can also ending spoiling other playoff contenders' parties. Delhi go back to take on the visiting Chennai Super Kings on Saturday, for whom it could potentially be a do-or-die encounter. Punjab will stay back home to take on the Rajasthan Royals in a couple of days' time.