People noticing me more as I am 36 and performing : Ashish Nehra

Ranchi, May 23 (IANS) Claiming 22 wickets so far in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK)'s veteran pacer Ashish Nehra on Saturday said he as a bowler has not changed, adding he has doing the same things which he had been doing over the last ten years.

CSK reached the final of the IPL for the sixth time as they defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by three wickets in qualifier 2 of the T20 tournament at the JSCA International Cricket Stadium here on Friday. 

Nehra picked up 3/28 as CSK restricted RCB to 139/8. And during the chase, CSK won by three wickets and a ball to spare in Ranchi.

"It is not that Ashish Nehra has changed. People are noticing it more because I am 36 and a guy at this age is doing something unbelievable in T20s. But I have been doing the same things that I have been doing over the last ten years," Nehra was quoted as saying by iplt20.com.

When asked if this was his best IPL season till date, the bowler said, "If you see stats-wise, then definitely yes. But I can’t just say that this is the best IPL I have had till date. Even in 2008 when I played for Mumbai Indians or for the Delhi Daredevils in 2009 and 2010, I was bowling really well.

"This time I am among the wickets and I am picking up wickets upfront which has really helped my team. I have got three or four Man-of-the-Match awards this season and that says it all. For a fast bowler to pick up that many awards in one season is not easy," he said.

Speaking on Sunday’s summit clash against Mumbai at the Eden Gardens, the 36-year-old pacer said, "It will be a great atmosphere at the Eden Gardens with seventy to eighty thousand people (expected to throng the stadium). 

"We lost against Mumbai Indians in the league stage and we will look to win. It will be an even contest but if we play to our potential we can beat Mumbai Indians and lift the trophy."