Royal Challengers Bangalore's AB de Villiers, who scored a match-winning unbeaten 64, on Saturday, credited his bowlers and fielders for guiding the home team to a comfortable 20-run win over Delhi Daredevils in Bangalore.
Riding on man-of-the-match De Villiers's 64, RCB scored 157 for eight and then Muttiah Muralitharan (3/25) spun the web around Delhi batsmen to restrict the visitors to 137 for seven.
"I don't think the batters won the game tonight. The man-of-match award should have gone to Muttiah Muralitharan.
The bowlers won the game for us tonight. It was very chasable total. Our bowlers and fielders turned it around for us," De Villiers said.
De Villiers had special praise for the Sri Lankan spin wizard Muralitharan.
"Murali is a legend of the game and a wicket-taker and the wickets he picked up changed the momentum for Delhi," he said.
"Not only skills, Murali brings to the table his human qualities which boosts the prospects of the team. He is a wonderful person, he is a nice guy and a smiling character," he said.
De Villiers said the wicket was ideal for batting, but too many wickets in the beginning did not help their cause.
Asked about Chris Gayle's absence from today's match, De Villiers said the dashing opener was not 100 percent fit for the match.
"He (Gayle) will be ready for the next match and probably for the whole IPL season," he added.
Photograph: Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images
