IPL 2021: "I always think about the wickets"- Amit Mishra after his 4-24 vs Mumbai Indians
Delhi Capitals spinner Amit Mishra wreaked havoc with the ball on Tuesday, returning with figures of 4-24 against the Mumbai Indians.
Mishra said his plan was to always look for wickets as he believes that is the only effective way to contain the batsmen in T20s.
With the Chennai pitch assisting the spinners, Delhi Capitals' move to introduce Amit Mishra into the playing XI paid off.
More than just the wickets, the kind of batsmen Mishra dismissed would satisfy the DC camp. The leg-spinner claimed the scalps of Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Ishan Kishan.
Speaking about his plan during the mid-innings break, the 38-year-old said:
"I always think about the wickets. It (the pitch) was little bit holding there, so just trying to bowl in the right areas. I feel whenever you bowl in T20s, you just have to go for wickets. Then only you put the opposition team under pressure. I never change my bowling. I try to bowl to my strengths. I always think about variations, not change in pace."
Hardik Pandya, who is renowned for attacking the spinners, holed out at long-on on his first delivery. Amit Mishra explained that he tossed the ball up and was looking for the wicket of the Indian all-rounder.
"Whenever he (Hardik Pandya) comes, I'll go for a wicket. I just tossed it up, went for the wicket and got it. With the batting attack we have, I think we can chase it, but we have to bat smartly. My job is finished. Ricky Ponting's job will start now," he signed off.
Amit Mishra is the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL history
Amit Mishra's heroics helped DC restrict the mighty MI batting line-up to just 137 runs. The leg spinner is currently the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL history, only behind former Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga.
Moreover, Mishra has three IPL hat-tricks to his name. No other bowler has achieved this feat more times than him in the cash-rich league.
Overall, the leg spinner has taken 164 wickets in his IPL career at an average of 23.9, while his economy reads 7.34.