Arshdeep Singh (right) celebrates a wicket with KXIP teammate Deepak Hooda in Dubai on Saturday.
Seven matches into the season, Kings XI Punjab were looking down and out with six losses on the trot while team’s coach Anil Kumble showing immense faith in the team saying it’s all about gaining the winning momentum as the team is struggling to close out games.
The team has certainly turned the table around and now are just two points behind fourth-placed Kolkata Knight Riders after inflicting a 12-run loss on Sunrisers Hyderabad when the odds were against them.
Defending 26 runs in the last four overs, the team picked the last seven wickets while giving away just seven runs and pacers Arshdeep Singh and Chris Jordan were pivotal in the effort with three wickets each to take KXIP over the finish line.
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, 21-year-old Arshdeep said his intention was to bowl as many slow deliveries possible and inviting SRH batsmen to hit to the longest part of the ground.
The plan reaped benefit for the pacer as he picked the big wicket of in-form Vijay Shankar.
“We saw an opportunity for the win and tried our best and thankfully, it went our way. The plan was to bowl it into the wicket and bowl as many slower balls and it worked,” Arshdeep said.
“I have been backed up really well by the management and good that we are starting to get some momentum as a team. The plan was to keep it simple (On Vijay Shankar's wicket) and let them hit on the bigger side and it worked.”
