After making MS Dhoni from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) out without scoring in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on Sunday, Punjab Kings (PBKS) bowler Harshal Patel said he didn’t celebrate because he respects Dhoni a lot. Harshal took three wickets and gave away 24 runs in four overs. He got Dhoni out with the fifth ball of the 19th over. Harshal also talked about the pitch at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, saying it was dry and the ball was reversing during his first over.
“The pitch was dry. I respect Dhoni too much to celebrate when I get him out. One good thing about playing during the day is that the field is rough, so the ball starts moving differently. In my first over, it was moving differently. It’s all about how the delivery feels, especially the slower one. The more you practice, the better you become. Most batters can’t predict it. I’ve been practicing in the nets, and when I do it right, it works well,” Harshal said.
In the first half of the match, Punjab won the toss and chose to bowl. Ravindra Jadeja (43), Ruturaj Gaikwad (32), and Daryl Mitchell (30) were the top scorers for Chennai, helping them reach 167/9. Apart from them, no other batter could stand against the PBKS bowling attack.
Punjab bowled exceptionally well, preventing CSK from building big partnerships. Harshal Patel and Rahul Chahar were the main bowlers for PBKS, taking three wickets each.
However, PBKS couldn’t chase the target of 168 runs and lost the match by 28 runs.