‘Do not get out to Arshdeep Singh': Phil Salt's soliloquy cuts through nightmare in RCB's crushing win over PBKS
There are always battles within a battle when the match is as big as the IPL Qualifier 1, with teams fighting for a direct entry into the IPL finals, and Phil Salt vs Arshdeep Singh was one of them. Before Thursday's Qualifier 1 between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, it was a one-sided battle heavily in favour of Arshdeep Singh. It would be an understatement to say Arshdeep had Salt's number.
The England opener has had a nightmarish time against Arshdeep. Be it IPL or for England. Whether it's T20S or ODIs, Salt's struggles against Arshdeep have been a constant. The left-hander pacer has dismissed the England opener four times in 9 T20s. In this year's IPL, Arshdeep sent Salt packing in both the league games
The RCB opener was determined to turn the tables in the Qualifier and so he did. He ended up smashing six fours and three sixes, including a crisp pull off pacer Arshdeep Singh. Salt's unbeaten 56 off 27 balls helped RCB chase down PBKS' modest 102-run target in just 10 overs to march into their first final since 2016.
After the match, Salt said he was trying his best not to get out to Arshdeep Singh. "Great feeling right now, it (the ball) did move a bit. I think that was not the worst wicket to have played on this season. Do not get out to Arshdeep (his mindset during the innings), we played 2 group games (with PBKS) and he has found different ways to get me out, so I was just trying to react to the ball," he said in the post-match presentation.
"Gives us the momentum, it is a cliche but true, that's what you want at the backend of the tournament, want to hit your straps and play a part with the bat or ball," he added.
In the ongoing season, Salt has scored 387 runs in 12 innings at an average of 35.18 and a strike rate of 175.90, with four fifties and the best score of 65. He is RCB's second-highest run-getter. All four of his half-centuries have come while chasing within six innings.
Salt also completed 1,000 IPL runs, becoming the joint-second-fastest to reach the milestone in 575 balls, equalling that of Travis Head (Sunrisers Hyderabad). His ex-Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) teammate Andre Russell is the fastest to reach the milestone with 545 balls.
In 33 IPL matches and innings, Salt scored 1,040 runs at an average of 34.66, with a strike rate of 175.67. He has scored 10 fifties, with the best score of 89*.
After RCB opted to bowl first, PBKS was reduced to 48/4 in the powerplay itself, with Bhuvneshwar, Hazlewood and Yash firing all cylinders. Marcus Stoinis (26 in 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Azmatullah Omarzai (18 in 12 balls, with a four and a six) pushed PBKS to 101 in 14.1 overs.
Suyash Sharma (3/17) and Josh Hazlewood (3/21) were the leading bowlers for RCB, with Yash Dayal getting 2/26 in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Romario Shepherd got a wicket each.
In the run-chase, RCB lost Virat Kohli (12) and Mayank Agarwal (19), but Phil Salt (56* in 27 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and skipper Rajat Patidar (15*) took RCB to the win in 10 overs with eight wickets left.
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