Giving the ball to Shami was best option: Duminy

Spin twins Amit Mishra and Imran Tahir did pose serious problems for the Rising Pune Supergiants batsmen but Delhi Daredevils skipper JP Duminy insisted that his decision to give the 18th over to speedster Mohammed Shami was the "best option" available for him.

Shami, who leaked 50 runs in his 3.1 overs was taken to task for 20 runs in that particular over that swung the match decisively in Pune's favour as they romped home by 7 wickets.

Pune Supergiants needed 37 off three overs and Imran Tahir was bowling extremely well at that time. Duminy, who was leading the side in place of Zaheer Khan, threw the ball to Shami, who was taken to task by RPS captain MS Dhoni.

Dhoni hit a four and a six and in all his side took 20 runs to take the game away from the hosts.

"We had three overs left at that's stage and Imran had only one over left, our best option at that point of time was that. Shami had two overs left, I could not bowl him from the other end, so we had to use someone else. So that was the best option to get Shami bowl his four overs," Duminy reasoned at the post-match conference.

Daredevils made wholesale changes to their playing XI, leaving out four in-form players but Duminy said it was important decision they took.

"It was just a precautionary measure. We are playing again in two days time. It has been a long first half of IPl, so we are just trying to make sure that the guys are fresh. A very long and important part of the tournament is yet to come, we want to make sure that we are ready to go," he said.

Duminy said they have always followed horses for courses approach even as it did not work today.

"It's just the combination. Few guys missed out due to combination. We felt as a selection group it was the best XI for the conditions and for the opposition. Unfortunately things did not go our way. We missed a few chances in the first six overs, a few run outs here and there but we did well to take it to the last over. In hindsight, I would say we backed out ourselves to get 180 after 103 in 13 overs but we stumbled, lost a few wickets."

Winning team's Rajat Bhatia, who bowled extremely well said that the hosts could not post a formidable total despite being in a good position and that helped them.

"I have played here for so many years and I know that the wicket was good. When they finished their innings, we knew that if we play sensibly we will clear it and that’s what happened. They were like 20 runs short, the way they were going," Bhatia said.

Pune have been looking for a turnaround after losing six matches and Bhatia feels this win could begin the process.

"It's T20, you know never know. This is what happened with Mumbai Indians few years ago. We can change it. We have to play one game at a time rather than thinking what will happen in in the next game," he said.