Chasing a meagre total of 147 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the win seemed an easy affair for Delhi Capitals (DC) who have a plethora of batting prowess in their team. However, with the score at 84/5, the situation looked bleak for the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) finalists.
At that moment entered West Indian powerhouse Rovman Powell, who is known for his pinch-hitting in crucial overs of the match. After a mediocre start to the season, Powell almost led his team to a win against Rajasthan Royals (RR) but it was against the Knight Riders that he managed to show his abilities as a finisher.
"My start in the competition wasn't the best, but I trust all the work I had done before the IPL," Powell said after his unbeaten 33 off just 16 balls led Delhi to the win.
"It was a tough start, but I was in form. In the early part of the season, I was going out for like one ball, two balls and those kinds of stuff. When you get those innings, they don't state whether you're a good player or bad player," Powell stated while also recalling the feeling within the group. "The team - the captain, coach - rallied around me, and told me that I'll play all the games. 'So just relax, just to play cricket and to enjoy it'," he said.
Powell came in at a precarious point when Delhi had lost both David Warner and Lalit Yadav in the space of nine balls. It took a turn for the worse when Rishabh Pant nicked behind against Umesh Yadav. At 84/5, Delhi's chase was unravelling rapidly.
However, his calm persona provided a reassuring presence at the crease. When on eight runs off nine balls and without a boundary to his name, he set up a quick stand of 29 runs alongside Axar Patel.
"It was a simple situation that requires you to play singles early. Once you get the singles early, the boundary balls will always come. It was not that difficult of a situation. I played it well," Powell said after the victory.
His last seven balls contained three sixes and a four as he picked 25 to help DC win with an over to spare.
"They bowled their best bowlers early trying to get us out. Once we didn't get out, you know that in the back end some makeshift bowlers will come and bowl..." Powell, who hit a six apiece against Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer at the back end of the game, commented.
