'Aa gaya sympathy lene' - Fans react as Shikhar Dhawan accepts mistake, says bowling spin in final over costed game vs DC in IPL 2023

As David Warner's Delhi Capitals (DC) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 15 runs in Mohali, Shikhar Dhawan acknowledged that his choice to let Harpreet Brar bowl the final over in the crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) game had backfired and hurt PBKS' chances of making the IPL 2023 playoffs.

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Despite having Arshdeep Singh available, Dhawan bowled Harpreet Brar in the final overs. Later, they called back Atharva Taide despite the middle-order batsman having scored a fifty, and it came back to haunt them as Liam Livingstone was left to handle everything alone.

The Englishman came close to pulling off a stunning victory, but Ishant Sharma maintained composure in the final over, and Dhawan could only look back on the errors his team committed despite being given numerous opportunities to win thanks to multiple dropped catches by the Delhi Capitals.

'It was frustrating. We didn't bowl really well' – Shikhar Dhawan

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The veteran Indian opener claimed it was a "frustrating" outcome for PBKS, who had the game in their hands but have only themselves to blame following Punjab's 15-run loss. "It was frustrating. We didn't bowl really well in the first six wickets; we should have taken some wickets the way it was swinging. It's quite a close game, but can't help it. There was hope after that no ball; Livi played a great knock. Unfortunately, we couldn't end up on the other side," said Dhawan.

Shikhar added, "I feel my decision to bowl spin off the last over backfired. The momentum also went there. Before that, my fast bowlers got hit for 18-20 runs. Those two overs cost us the game. Our bowlers didn't pitch the ball up in the powerplay. That was the plan, and unfortunately, they couldn't execute."

Although Liam Livingstone scored 94 runs, Punjab could not overcome Delhi Capitals' 213/2 total with Rilee Rossouw's 82-run innings. Dhawan also acknowledged that his team's excessive run-scoring in the powerplay and failure to get wickets in the opening six overs had cost them dearly thus far in the IPL 2023 season.

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"In this sort of a wicket, whether we take wickets or not, we should bowl at the right areas, which we are not doing for quite a long time. That's hurting us. Every powerplay, we have been giving 50-60 runs; we should be taking wickets as well. We knew that it'd swing for 1-2 overs. We lost the first wicket in the 2nd over, I got out, and the 1st over was also a maiden - we lost six balls over there," stated Shikhar further.

Here's how fans reacted:

I love dhawan but captain bahut ghatiya hain

— Manish Singh (@Manish6_singh) May 17, 2023

Ab Log Sympathy denge :)

— #RetireKohli (@priyam1_raj) May 17, 2023

Kam se kam apni galti toh maan li

Rofaat Apni galti bhi nahi manta 🤣🤣

— Goat By Brain (@GoatByBrain) May 17, 2023

This is probably the first time I have seen him so sad..
Otherwise, no matter what, he always have a smile on his face.

— Darshan Odedara (@odedara_darshan) May 17, 2023

Pahle chutiyapa karo,baad ma I sorry bola.
Audience pagal,kitna humble banda hai har baar apni galti maan leta hai

— Nishant Jha (@Mithila__niwas) May 17, 2023

Chamiya chokli 🤣 galti apne bowlers ko bolta

— Xenön 07 (@Msdsuperfan12) May 17, 2023

Teri galti nahi hai Gabbar, Preity Zinta ke haath mein IPL jeetne waali lakeer hi nahi hai 😁

— Bhupender Thakur (@MisterBeeTee) May 17, 2023

Dhawan should have played as opener and let Sam Curran do captaincy,

— Shubman Gang (@ShubmanGang) May 17, 2023