Delhi Capitals (DC) opener Prithvi Shaw had a dreadful Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Shaw registered two ducks and scored just 47 runs from seven innings. The horrendous run saw him warming the benches for nearly a month as DC suffered defeat after defeat. As DC got knocked out of IPL 2023 playoffs race, DC team management gave Shaw another chance to regain form and the youngster took it with both hands. Against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Shaw scored his first half-century of the season. A relieved Shaw expressed that a lot of hard work went behind the scenes to get back in form.
“Definitely, after long (feeling good). Sometimes you have to work hard for it. This was the match, I had to work hard, you get the credit later,” Shaw told the broadcasters after DC’s innings.
Shaw suffered a blow to his finger in the second over of the match. The extra bounce from Kagiso Rabada surprised him as he copped one. The physio rushed to his aid and applied spray on the affected area as Shaw continued to bat. He had scored just four runs then. The opener managed to hit Rabada for a boundary later.
“It (finger) hurts, but I am sure I will be fine,” Shaw replied when the broadcaster asked about the finger injury.
Later in the innings, in the 13th over Shaw copped a blow to his left hand when he was just one run away from the half-century. Shaw read the pitch well and said that the visitors have set a good score on the board.
“I think it's a very good score, it's not really easy to bat in the powerplay as it's seaming a bit. When you are hitting that length, it's not easy to hit shots. Later on, it gets a little bit easier. The slower one is bouncing like a tennis ball. It's going to play a crucial role for the fast bowlers if they are going to bowl slower balls,” the 23-year-old said.
Shaw shared a 94-run opening partnership with skipper David Warner. His 38-ball 54-run knock including seven fours and one six. He lost his wicket in the 15th over to Sam Curran. Rilee Rossouw's unbeaten 37-ball 82 and a cameo from Phil Salt helped Capitals post 213/2.
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