Bengaluru, April 17 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fast bowler Josh Hazlewood said the key to his success in the shortest format comes from sticking to his strengths, as the defending champions prepare to face Delhi Capitals in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 fixture at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

RCB, currently on eight points, will look to further consolidate their position on the points table, and a win over DC would get them to reclaim top spot in the points table. “My strength is hitting that hard length consistently and making it difficult for batters to score. In T20 cricket, it’s about executing that under pressure and adapting when needed.

“With the way T20 cricket is going, the expectations on batters are very high. If you can build a few quiet deliveries, the pressure can shift quickly and create opportunities,” Hazlewood said in the pre-game press conference, ahead of the clash where RCB will also don their iconic green jerseys as part of the franchise’s ‘Green Initiative’.

Hazlewood, who returned from injury with a Player of the Match performance against Lucknow Super Giants, reflected on his recovery process. “It’s been really pleasing to be back and contributing again. You learn a lot from time away due to injury, especially about respecting the recovery process. The focus has been on coming back fully ready and performing at this level.”

“The other night, the pitch actually helped a little bit. It was hard to time the ball; the pitch was a bit up-and-down. If you’re on a nice glassy pitch and everything’s coming onto the bat nicely, then things have to change, and you try a few different things,” he said.

He also praised skipper Rajat Patidar’s composure. “He’s learning quickly and getting more confident as a captain. He’s calm out there and manages his resources well, which is great for the team.”

On Virat Kohli’s role in Saturday’s clash, Hazlewood said, “He’ll definitely play, it’s just about how much he can contribute in the field. He brings great energy and is one of our best fielders, so we’d love to have him fully out there. Knowing him, he’s not one to sit back; he always wants to be involved and make an impact.”

Highlighting the balance in RCB’s bowling unit, Hazlewood signed off by saying, “We’ve got a really balanced attack, with everyone bringing something different. It’s great to learn from each other, and that’s been a big strength for us as a unit.”

–IANS

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