The speedster showcased his faith in the Almighty and geared up to bowl against Gujarat despite being sick
Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Mohammed Siraj reflected on his match winning performance against Gujarat Titans in the team’s recently concluded match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 4. IPL 2024 has been a mixed bag for Mohammed Siraj as the pacer struggled to find an appropriate rhythm throughout the initial leg of the tournament.
Talking in a video on the tournament’s official website, Siraj revealed how despite being ill he gathered the courage to play the match against Gujarat in Bangalore to prepare well for the T20 World Cup 2024. Despite his poor form, Siraj was backed by the BCCI to represent India in the USA and West Indies for the upcoming global tournament.
The speedster showcased his faith in the Almighty and geared up to bowl against Gujarat and provided Royal Challengers Bengaluru some much-needed breakthroughs in the beginning overs of the powerplay. Siraj concluded his spell with the wickets of the Gujarat Titans opening batters Wriddhiman Saha and skipper Shubman Gill for scores of 1 and 2 respectively. RCB defeated GT by 4 wickets, chasing a target of 148 runs within 13.4 overs.
“I felt I won’t be able to play the game today. I had immense pain in my stomach and also loose motions so I thought there was no chance I would be playing. But I thought that since there’s a (T20) World Cup around, getting game time will be very important and good for me. I didn’t have the energy to bowl with this intensity but maybe the almighty gave me the power”, Siraj revealed.
The pacer further highlighted his bond with the legendary India batter and his RCB teammate, Virat Kohli who has consistently motivated Siraj to outshine others and give his best shot for the team.
Siraj added, “Virat has known me for eight years now and he always gives handy advice on what to do in a particular situation. He also asks me as a bowler what I am thinking can be done and accordingly lets me execute my plans as well. When you have good communication with such a legend of the game then half the difficulty gets reduced straightaway as a bowler.”
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will next lock horns with Punjab Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on May 7.
