Harpreet Brar after dismissing Virat Kohli
Maiden game of the ongoing IPL edition was a 'special' one for left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar. Hailing from Moga, Brar had played only three IPL matches before he ran through Royal Challengers Bangalore's vaunted batting unit on Friday and also picked the Man of the Match award to top it off.
The 25-year-old Punjab Kings recruit scored 25 from 17 deliveries and then finished with figures of 3/19 as his side registered a 34-run win over RCB at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Brar first removed Kohli, who looked to charge down the wicket but missed the line as the ball kept low. He then plucked Glenn Maxwell (0) and AB de Villiers (3) to completed a three-fer that any bowler in world cricket would've craved for.
Brar, after picking up the Player of the Match trophy, said that people from his hometown Moga would be 'proud and happy' after seeing his match-winning display. He also said that Kohli being his first IPL wicket was a 'special' feeling, and it eventually helped him gain confidence in the match.
"I hail from Moga district. I am sure the people back home would be proud and happy. I wasn't overwhelmed when Kohli hit me because a bowler always gets a second chance to come back.
"My first IPL wicket was Kohli Paaji's wicket and that was very special. It came out in a flow after that, your body opens up, you get confident and things fall in place," he said in the post-match presentation.
While PBKS skipper KL Rahul starred with an unbeaten 91, Brar made his presence felt with a 17-ball 25 which also featured two sixes off Harshal Patel.
On his batting antics, Brar said, "When I came out to bat, I had the time to wait for a couple of overs. Rahul Bhai was also talking to me about the conditions and about the shots I could play."
Skipper Rahul also showered praise on Brar and said that they needed a finger spinner who can hit hard lengths on such a wicket.
"We were preparing Brar. On a pitch like this, we felt like we needed a finger spinner who could hit hard lengths. He did exactly that and batted really well in the end as well. I am young myself, but I have been trying to speak to the boys and pass on whatever experience I have of IPL and international cricket," said the PBKS skipper.
