IPL 2020: Chris Morris feels proud of RCB teammates for running KXIP close in Sharjah 

Morris also talked about his personal performance, having backed his useful cameo with a fine spell.

Morris was all praise for his teammates for the fight they showed | BCCI/IPLRather than obsessing over the defeat, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) all-rounder Chris Morris choose to focus on the positives from the result against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in Sharjah this Thursday (October 15). 

Morris said he is proud of his team for running the opposition so close despite the game seemingly well and truly lost in the earlier stages of the run-chase where KXIP eventually went past RCB's 171/6 with 177/2 on the final delivery of the game. 

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"We had enough (runs), maybe we leaked few boundaries, maybe our game-plan was slightly wrong; but for us to get the end like that, to get it to the last over, to the last ball, quite proud of the boys for sticking there when the game was completely gone by the time second-last over was bowled," Morris said in the post-match press conference, as quoted by ANI.

Morris himself played a fine cameo (25* off 8 balls) to take his team to a defendable total in the conditions and also backed that with another economical spell of 0/22. 

In the game where RCB captain Virat Kohli (48) top-scored for his team before his effort was outdone by KXIP skipper KL Rahul (61*) and Chris Gayle (53), the talk of the town, however, was the demotion in the batting order for the great AB de Villiers, last match's hero for RCB. 

De Villiers came out to bat after utility cricketers Washington Sundar (13) and Shivam Dube (23) and managed only 2 runs off 5 balls himself as RCB didn't get the late flourish to their innings they had expected.

While some said it was about sending the left-handers in to slog KXIP's wrist-spinners, Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin, out of the park, some argued that there is more merit in allowing De Villiers, generally a safe bet against all kinds of bowling, more time in the middle before he can really kick-off. 

Morris defended the move, citing the former. 

"Probably with the spinners, the left-right combination is quite difficult for a spinner or any bowler to settle. We saw it with KL and Gayle at the end. It was quite difficult to keep consistent lines and lengths but sometimes it pays off and sometimes it does not," he said.

The South African cricketer also talked about his knock in the first half, expressing pleasure over his short but fruitful stay. 

"I did well enough. Obviously, the wicket was slower towards the end. When I come in to bat, it was about just hit the ball, whether the wicket is slow or not, hit the ball as hard as you can and hopefully (it) connects," he signed off. 

Third in the points table despite this result with five victories in eight matches, RCB next face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Dubai on Saturday (October 17). 

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 16 Oct, 2020

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