IPL 2024: 'Our Bowlers Were All Over The Place...', Admits Pant After DC’s 106-run Loss To KKR
At the ACA-VDCA Stadium on Wednesday evening, Sunil Narine (85), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (54), Andre Russell (41) and Rinku Singh (26) produced blistering fireworks as KKR posted 272, the second-highest score in the history of the competition.
What also hurt DC was Pant unable to take reviews on caught-behind appeals against Narine and KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer, with replays showing they would have been out. From a DC perspective, their non-review of Narine on 24 proved to be very costly.
“Our bowlers were all over the place. We just didn't turn up on the day. This match was one of those days. I think it was quite loud here. At the same time, couldn't see the timer on the screen. There was some problem on the screen. But there are some things you can control, some things you can't,” said Pant after the match ended.
Moreover, DC used only one over of spin bowling in the form of Axar Patel, which raised eyebrows. “See the thought process was that we didn't want to use spinners but our fast bowlers were going through the motions. I think it is time for reflections as an individual. We need to learn from these mistakes and come positive in the next match,” added Pant.
Pant continued to build up on his positive return to competitive cricket by hitting five sixes and four boundaries in a 25-ball 55, while Tristan Stubbs hit eight boundaries in his 32-ball 54 to help the hosts’ save some blushes, before being 166 all out in 17.2 overs. In between, Pant was limping and needed the physio intervention before being dismissed by Varun Chakaravarthy.
“As a batting unit, we only wanted to keep going hard as a team. I would rather get all out as a team than not go for the target. (Body is) Doing fine. Getting out there. Enjoying every day but cricket has its own ups and downs," stated Pant.
The loss sees DC be at ninth place now and will next face five-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile Pant has been fined Rs 24 lakhs after DC maintained a slow over rate in Wednesday’s match, also their second over-rate offence of the season.
If DC get another slow-over rate penalty against them, then it can lead to Pant’s suspension for one match. The rest of the members of DC’s Playing XI in Wednesday’s match, including the Impact Player, were each individually fined either INR 6 lakhs or 25 percent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser.