Harshal Patel likes bowling in pressure situations even if there’s no guarantee for success every time. Still, he doesn’t want to shy away from challenges.

“Whether I would be able to deliver or not, I don’t really know. I can’t say. But I want to be in those situations, and there is no doubt about that,” the pacer said after having done his job in the slog overs for Royal Challengers Bangalore in their 14-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in Wednesday’s Eliminator at Eden Gardens.

In pretty good batting conditions at the Eden, Harshal conceded only eight off his two overs in his first spell. Later, as he came on to bowl with Lucknow needing 41 more to win off the last three overs, Harshal gave away only eight and also picked up Marcus Stoinis’ wicket, stalling Lucknow’s progress.

That 18th over of Lucknow’s reply was certainly one of the turning points of the game. Harshal, though, admitted to feeling a little nervous when going on to bowl that over.

“Yes, I was nervous. There’s no doubt about that. When I gave away six runs without bowling a ball, with those wides, I understood that the wide yorker wouldn’t work.

“So I thought what worked for me in the first two overs could be helpful. So I went back to that to give myself the best opportunity to get KL (Rahul) and Stoinis out. Fortunately, I got Stoinis out at the boundary,” he said.

Harshal, with 19 scalps from 15 matches, added: “I have been wanting to do that (bowl in pressure situations) for the past two-three years. I’ve been doing that for Haryana, and I wanted to do it at the bigger stage.

“Sometimes it’s going to come off, sometimes it won’t. There will be games where I will end up with my team on the losing side, but I am okay with that as long as I don’t shy away from challenges.”