Rohit all praise for Chahar post Delhi win

Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma has heaped praises on Rahul Chahar for playing a crucial part in his team's thumping 40-run win over the Delhi Capitals in the ongoing IPL, saying the young spinner has a good attitude and is always clear about his plans and executes them well.

Delhi were restricted to 128 for nine while chasing 169 at the Feroz Shah Kotla here on Thursday. Chahar was the pick of the bowlers for Mumbai as he scalped three important wickets to derail Delhi's chase early on.

"Rahul was there with us even last year, we wanted to get him in where Mayank was playing," Rohit said after the match.

"He has a good attitude and is clear with what he wants to do. They (DC) had left handers and Rahul bowls confidently to left handers, which is what he told me before the innings," he added.

The MI skipper further said they set up a good target for the hosts and was confident that his bowlers would do their job.

"After the first two overs that we played, we thought 140 was a good score. Quinny (Quinton de Kock) and me had a talk and then luckily towards the end we had wickets in hand and could use our power-hitters to play just the way they've been playing," he said.

"We knew we had the spinners, who would do their job perfectly. Even in the last ODI against Australia we found it tough to chase. I knew that if we got 140-150, we had the bowlers to keep us in the game," he added.

But it was not just Chahar who played a crucial part in Mumbai's win, flamboyant all-rounder Hardik Pandya yet again played another cameo scoring a brisk 15-ball 32 to help his side reach 168/5 which ultimately turned out to be the match winning score on a slow, turning Kotla pitch.

Pandya, who was adjudged the man of the match, said he has been hitting the ball well of late and hoped to continue with the form in the remaining games.

"Even I cannot remember hitting the ball better. I have been working hard at the nets. I like to keep the basics straight, even in the death overs if you keep your shape, and hope for bowlers to miss, you can hit hard," he said.

"I am reading the wicket well this season. I have five more games to go and then the play-offs, and I hope to keep going like this through the season," he added.

Mumbai, who are now on the second spot in the points table with six wins from nine games, will next take on Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday.

--IANS

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