I am doing everything I can to be part of the India team: Dinesh Karthik

The Challengers had their initial shades of fears as the Delhi bowlers carved open their top-order with some impeccable bowling in the powerplay but keeping the tradition of the latest edition of the tournament alive, it was once again a miraculous turnaround from RCB’s middle order as they romped past the Delhi Capitals on a Saturday night encounter.

Glenn Maxwell applied the first daub of overhaul with a blistering storm that saw him stitching together a devastating half-century in the face of an adverse collapse lurking just around the corner. It was Dinesh Karthik’s mad striking that sealed the fate of the game with a knock for the ages to come.

If it was one Australian who dictated the batting shots, it was another who ruled the game with the ball in his hands, Josh Hazlewood. He bowled an impeccable line and length that saw him hammering the decks harder than ever and tightening the choke pretty hard on the DC chase.

Faf was pretty happy with the performances that the Challengers posted, but was also wary of the corrections that needed to be done in order to continue the momentum. He spoke at length in the press-match conference, highlighting the troughs and the crests for RCB.

Josh Hazlewood chimed in with his emotions about how good he felt after the performance. “Tonight it was a wicket lovely for batting in first six. As the game went on, we bowled well, took the pace off. It's all about adapting to conditions on the night. Change of pace is important for me and also sequencing it right through the over. I think dots are really when batters feel pressure, so we want to get back-to-back dots. We've tried the yorker last game, but it all depends on the conditions. Sometimes it rewards yorkers, sometimes it doesn't. Today wasn't that kind of day. Since coming in, the atmosphere is great. We are a side who moves well in the field," said the Aussie fast bowler.

Faf said after the game, “I think it is important from a top-order perspective that we contribute runs. We haven't as a top order, but the other guys are doing so. Batting is tricky upfront, but the way Maxi put pressure back on them was vital. But to get 190 you needed a special innings, and credit goes to the two boys Shahbaz and DK. We felt like we haven't been as good as we would've liked at death bowling, so today we had a special plan. It was pretty wet out there, and the start they had, many teams would fall away. But we stuck around. A good win. Experience is nice because you can trust players when it is going well and when it is not going well. The way DK is playing at the moment, I may sound like a broken record, but he is playing the best he has ever. He is so clear, calm, and composed. We considered batting first tonight, but the dew is a factor."

Dinesh Karthik who was adjudged as the player of the match, said, “I have bigger goals. I've been working really hard. My aim is to do something special for the country. This is part of my journey. I am doing everything I can to be part of the India team. Feels good to know that people associate calmness with me. Positions and calmness come from preparation. Shahbaz is a special player; he will do special things as a player. He is up for a challenge. He can hit the ball a long way."

RCB’s next assignment is the Lucknow Super Giants against whom they will be taking the field on Tuesday evening, hoping to extend their good form in the tournament.