"Lost the momentum over there and then we paid the price for that" - Shikhar Dhawan bemoans Virat Kohli's dropped catch in PBKS vs RCB IPL 2024 clash
Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shikhar Dhawan has admitted dropping Virat Kohli off the second ball of the second innings cost his side in the four-wicket defeat to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 25.
Having posted a healthy 176/6 in 20 overs, PBKS were desperate for an early strike, and Sam Curran produced the nick off Kohli's bat in the second ball of the run-chase only for Jonny Bairstow to drop a dolly at first slip. The miss proved costly as King Kohli painted another masterpiece in a chase, scoring 77 off 49 deliveries to help RCB win a thriller by four wickets in the final over.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Dhawan lamented dropping the catch off a player of Kohli's caliber.
"Virat scored 70-odd runs and we dropped a catch of the class player, we paid the price. If we had taken that catch, the momentum would have come from the second ball. But we lost the momentum over there and then we paid the price for that," said Dhawan.
PBKS still had a massive chance to emerge victorious when they dismissed Kohli, with RCB still needing 47 off the final four overs.
However, Dinesh Karthik turned back the clock and produced a scintillating 10-ball 28 to help RCB complete the tense run-chase.
"We scored 10-15 runs less, in the first 6 overs I played a bit slow" - Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan also admitted his slow batting in the powerplay of the first innings might have resulted in the below-par score. The southpaw top-scored for PBKS with 45, but it took 37 deliveries, with the side struggling at 98/4 in the 13th over when he was eventually dismissed.
"It was a good game, we brought the game back and again we lost it. We scored 10-15 runs less, in the first six overs I played a bit slow. Those 10-15 runs cost us and the dropped catch as well," said Dhawan.
However, the skipper reserved high praise for left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar, who almost single-handedly kept PBKS in the game.
"He's bowling really well, especially bowling against left-handers, tremendous the way he soaked in the pressure and got us the breakthroughs," added Dhawan.
Brar finished with sensational figures of 2/13 in four overs, picking up the crucial wickets of Glenn Maxwell and Rajat Patidar.
PBKS won their opening fixture of IPL 2024 against the Delhi Capitals and will take on the Lucknow Super Giants in their third game of the season on Saturday, March 30.