IPL 2017: Wasn’t easy to not get opportunities despite form, says Harshal Patel after bagging MoM award in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) win over Delhi Daredevils (DD)

Playing his first game in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017, pacer Harshal Patel bagged the Man of the Match award with a three-for which helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeat Delhi Daredevils (DD) by 10-runs. Playing the final group stage game in IPL 2017, RCB posted 161 riding on Virat Kohli’s 58 and Chris Gayle’s 48. In their chase, except for Rishabh Pant (45) none other DD batsmen could contribute to their team losing the game eventually. Patel leading the bowling department from the front destroyed the DD’s top and middle order dishing out a well-deserved victory. Full Cricket Scorecard: Delhi Daredevils (DD) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), IPL 2017, Match 56 at Delhi

Talking in the post-match presentation ceremony, Patel said, “I mean it has not been easy for me, especially with the team losing and me not getting an opportunity to show the kind of form I was in. Finally happy to do the dent.”

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Despite winning the game RCB still ended at the bottom of the IPL 2017 points table as they managed to win just three games from the total fourteen games. The last year’s runners-up had a very disastrous tournament despite having all their important players for the majority of the tournament.

“In IPL you have a lot of time to yourself and you have to utilise it. I am always training and making sure that I am ready whenever I get a chance,” he added.

Even though, Patel conceded 43 runs in his four overs, his wickets had the major impact on the match result. He first broke the partnership of 46 runs between Iyer and Pant and then rocked the DD camp by dismissing Marlon Samuels the very next delivery.

Patel then got the all-important wicket of Pant who was fighting a lone battle.