Sameer Rizvi, a young batter for the Delhi Capitals, seized the chance to bat at number four with both hands and stated that his only goal right now is to continue being consistent in the IPL. After a poor start to their run chase in Lucknow on Wednesday, Rizvi showed off his skills by entering the game as a “Impact Player” and helping the Delhi Capitals defeat the Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets.
DC were reduced to 26/4 in the first five overs while chasing 142, but Rizvi (70 not out off 47 balls), who replaced T Natarajan, put up an uninterrupted 119-run partnership for the fifth wicket with the seasoned Tristan Stubbs (39 not out off 32 balls) to chase down the total in just 17.1 overs.
On a challenging track, Rizvi blasted five fours and four sixes while displaying admirable maturity.
“Coaches told me before that you will play at No.4 position and we will back you. You just play your natural, positive game. Whenever I play for UP or in UPT20 league, I bat at no.4 and if you get to bat at the same position in IPL it gives a lot of confidence. It is a big opportunity for me and they (coaches) are also giving me freedom to play my natural game. So I just make my mindset to grab these opportunities,” PTI quoted the 22-year-old Uttar Pradesh cricketer as saying.
“I haven’t played many innings in IPL but I will always try to be consistent. I will try to forget this innings and focus on the next match.”
After finishing the previous season with a half-century, it was Rizvi’s second consecutive fifty-plus score in the IPL. Regarding the run chase and his collaboration with Stubbs, Rizvi stated that they chose to bat in accordance with the situation of the game.
“The intent from the start was to play positive cricket but once we were down four wickets we decided to slow down a bit and take our time, read the wicket because the chase was not that big. I have played 2-3 innings earlier with Stubbs. He keeps it very simple, plays according to situation.”
Rizvi claimed that playing a lot of cricket on his home ground in Lucknow really aided him during his unbeaten knock.
“Any player playing in his hometown will have an idea about the boundaries, conditions, atmosphere and it helps a lot.”
The right-hander claimed that batting against fast bowlers was difficult.
“The ball was swinging a lot so it was difficult to score runs against fast bowlers, so plan was to attack spinners and score big against them. If the ball is there we will hit. The wicket was a bit sticky, the ball was swinging and seaming, so it was a bit tough for batsmen to play fast bowlers. So it was necessary to take some time in the middle.”
