Having failed to make a splash in the last five editions of the IPL, Harshal Patel came to the fore in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) campaign opener on Friday. The pacer, armed with a deceptive slower ball, took five for 27 and the man-of-the-match award in RCB’s close win over Mumbai Indians .
The Haryana cricketer was particularly efficient in the final over, conceding just one run and dismissing Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Marco Jansen.
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Harshal, who has played only 18 IPL matches since 2016, is now marked as the answer to RCB’s death bowling troubles. It is a responsibility he is happy to take on.
"It is one of those aspects of the game where you are in a position to win the game for your team. It is a privileged position to be in. It can go the other way around as well at times - it can dent your confidence - but I look at it as a privilege. Death bowling is something I've worked on for a long period of time, and I am confident enough now to take all that practice into the game,” Harshal said in a media interaction on Tuesday.
READ| Harshal Patel becomes first bowler in IPL history to take five wickets against Mumbai Indians
Harshal was traded to RCB from Delhi Capitals earlier this year, a move that has worked in his favour. "I have more opportunities with. I am being put into difficult match situations, and thus have more opportunity to showcase my skills. The trade is a welcome decision because I knew that with Kagiso Rabada and Anrich
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