IPL 2018: It Was Really Disappointing to Lose Such a Close Game - Liam Plunkett

Liam Plunkett could not have asked for a better debut in the Indian Premier League. The England pacer rocked Kings XI Punjab’s batting lineup with impressive figures of three for 17.

He got the better of in-form KL Rahul with a change of pace. The Delhi Daredevils star then accounted for Mayank Agarwal with a 145 kmph delivery. He went on to dismiss a well-settled Karun Nair to help his side restrict Punjab to 143 for eight.

However, his stunning debut turned a bit sour when Delhi failed to chase down the modest total.

The national capital-based outfit kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and could only post 139 for eight. Shreyas Iyer waged a lone battle, scoring 57 but the lack of support from the other end did not help the team’s cause. The loss was Delhi’s fifth in six games. They are now languishing at the bottom of the table.

Speaking after the game, Plunkett expressed his disappointment over losing the tight contest. He also spoke about his performance, saying it was great to get a game finally.

“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.

“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.

He went on to say his experience during the 2016 ICC World T20 helped him in adapting to the conditions.

“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.

Daredevils are running out of time to save their season. They just cannot afford another loss in the upcoming days, and Plunkett is confident one win will help the team to get back on track.

“We have to 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.