New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) Purani Dilli 6 batter Ashwini Chillar revealed that the team decided to take the match deep and remain in the competition after they pulled off a stunning last-over victory against North Delhi Strikers in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 on Friday, recovering from a precarious position to snatch a thrilling four-wicket win.
Reflecting on the memorable victory and his crucial contribution with the bat, Ashwini Chillar expressed his delight at getting the team over the line through calculated planning.
“Winning a match like this brings immense joy. We had a clear plan; if we wanted to win, we needed to take the game deep and keep wickets in hand till the end so everyone coming down could contribute 10 to 15 runs. That was my mindset, especially after coming out to bat early today,” Chillar said after the match.
Discussing the atmosphere within the squad and the mindset surrounding batting combinations, Chillar highlighted the team's readiness to seize key moments.
“In the initial matches, players like Anuj and Lakra were scoring the runs. The mindset in the dugout has always been that whenever any player gets an opportunity at a new position, they have to step up, make it count, and win the game for the team,” he explained.
Despite playing a crucial knock of 45 off 36 balls, Chillar admitted to a touch of disappointment at not staying until the very last ball to finish the chase himself.
“It was definitely disappointing. I couldn’t reach my fifty or be there to hit the winning runs, so that part felt a bit sad,” he added.
Earlier in the match, North Delhi Strikers put up a competitive total of 186/6 in 20 overs after being put in to bat. Captain Sarthak Ranjan (59 off 37) and Yash Bhatia (59 off 41) stitched together a solid 61-run partnership, while Yash Dabas provided a late flourish with a quickfire 36 off 22 balls.
In response, Purani Dilli 6 found themselves in deep trouble early in the chase, slumping to 53/4. However, a heroic 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Lalit Yadav (64 off 41) and Ashwini Chillar (45 off 36) swung the momentum back in their favor.
Although Chillar was dismissed in the final over with seven runs required, Pankaj Jaswal delivered an unbelievable finish, smashing back-to-back sixes off his first two deliveries to seal a remarkable victory for Purani Dilli 6.
--IANS
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