Kolkata: After succumbing to their seventh loss this season, Delhi Daredevils skipper JP Duminy said his team paid the price for conceding too many runs in the last five overs against Kolkata Knight Riders here on Thursday.
Johan Botha blasted 17 from five balls (4x4) in the last over to lift KKR to a competitive 171/7 and Duminy felt it is the slog overs which cost them the match.
"Probably leaked 15-20 too many, I thought we gave it a good go with the bat," said Duminy after his team fall short by 13 runs while chasing 172 to win.
"We had eight batters, but we didn't utilise Morkel. We're pretty much out of it, but we have a lot of pride to play for. Let opportunities go.
We have a lot of work to do with our fielding. We brought it back nicely in the middle, contained them. But in the last five overs they got 60-odd which was too much," he added.
Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir said he was always confident of defending the total with his battery of bowlers once his team put 170 plus on board.
"I think we were thinking 160 and getting 170 was a bonus. That over of Zaheer and the way Johan batted was brilliant. 155 would have been par with Sunil and Hoggy with us," Gambhir said.
"We knew Delhi would come hard, it was a must-win game for them. But we knew we had options and we were always controlling the game with our spinners. Always a blessing in disguise to have so many options, for me four spinners is always better. Johan, Piyush, Hoggy and Sunil are great.
"People keep talking that Kolkata turns and spins, but we've been getting 170 runs. And they just lost by 13 runs. It's a good batting track, when you have quality in the line-up it doesn't matter," he said.
Asked about their next game against Kings XI Punjab, Gambhir said: "I don't believe in momentum, it's a new game the day after tomorrow and we'll start even again. We have to go out and play to our potential and we have everything to lose against Kings XI, who have nothing to lose."
Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who was adjudged the Man of the Match Award for snapping four wickets, said he likes going for wickets as that is the only way the batsmen can be contained in T20 cricket.
"The season is going pretty well, the ball is coming out very well. No matter how many spinners are in the side, as a leggie I go for wickets. And the kind of powerful batting line-up Delhi had, that was the only option to contain them," said the Uttar Pradesh cricketer.
"My role depends on the situation, Sometimes I bowl four on the trot, sometimes I'm held back. It depends on the captain," he added.
