New Delhi, April 25
After hitting a majestic 152 not out to power Delhi Capitals to a gigantic 264/2, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul said his approach was centered on playing proper cricketing shots and maintaining pressure on the opposition bowlers, while also praising Nitish Rana for his 'phenomenal knock' of 91 in their 220-run partnership.
By hitting an unbeaten 152 off 67 balls, laced with 16 fours and nine sixes at a strike rate of 226, Rahul now holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian batter and the third highest overall in IPL history after Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum. Rahul also went past Tilak Varma to now hold the record for the highest individual score by an Indian batter in men's T20s.
"I'm obviously happy. I've taken a beating due to the heat, just need to hydrate and recover. So it's mixed emotions at the moment. I hope I don't cramp later on. I mean only towards the end was I premeditating. Early on, I think for the first 70-80 runs, I wasn't really premeditating.
"I was just in a mindset to hit boundaries and put pressure on the bowlers. My strength is always to play proper cricket shots and I was trying to back that and try and believe that that's good enough to get my team past 250 and I continued to do that.
"Only at the back end was I premeditating and when the field is set, when the bowlers go to the wide off-field or a spinner field, you know kind of what to expect," said a tired Rahul in a mid-innings chat with the broadcasters.
Rahul is also the first player in IPL's history to score multiple centuries for three different franchises - DC, PBKS and Lucknow Super Giants. Rahul and Rana's spectacular 220-run stand is also a record for the second-highest partnership in IPL history.
"Phenomenal knock from Nitish. The way he came in and you know, I think when you can hit proper cricket shots and get boundaries in the first six overs and continue to do that, I think the bowling team feels a lot more pressure when you're when you're trying to hit big sixes or trying to slog, then the opposition already feels like they're in with a chance.
"But when you're playing proper cricket shots and playing merit of the ball and still getting boundaries and still being able to score over 200 strike rates, it just puts a lot of pressure on them.
"I think he did that beautifully and I think right hand, left hand combination worked as well. The wicket was on the on the slower side, but I think both of us were seeing the ball really well, so we just continued batting and continued putting pressure on the bowlers," added Rahul.
- IANS
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