Karun Nair performed a rescue act with debutant Sam Billings after the Delhi Daredevils had lost three wickets in the first five overs for a mere 32 runs. The middle-order batsman anchored the innings as he built a century stand with his partner to help seize the advantage from the Gautam Gambhir-led side in their penultimate game in Delhi. Speaking about his carefully compiled 50-ball 68, Karun said Billings’ positive approach helped take the pressure off him. Reflecting on the game while talking to iplt20.com after the match, he also mentioned that the off field friendship had helped during the partnership which tipped the game in his team’s favour. Excerpts: After three quick wickets had fallen you were once again in a situation where you needed to rebuild. What was your thought process? Sam (Billings) and I just spoke about building a partnership and play normal cricket for about 10-12 overs. I must appreciate the way Sam batted. He batted really well. To come out and play so well in the first game, credit goes to him (for playing such a crucial knock). He played positively which took the pressure off me a bit. We had a good partnership. The running between the wickets between Billings and you was good. How did you two work it out given that you were batting together for the first time in a match? We have had a few open net sessions and practice games so we have batted together there. Also we do go out together off the field as well. Sam, me and Ricky (Carlos Brathwaite) go out a lot so we are good friends off the field as well. What were you looking at as a target after the start you had, given the kind of opposition (KKR) you had to set it for? At first since we had lost early wickets, we were just trying to build a partnership and to take it as deep as possible. Then after the 13-14th over we started looking at 160-170 runs as a target. We ended up with 186 runs which was a good total. You have batted well through pressure situations. What do you tell yourself, how do you get into the zone? There is nothing different that I do. I think I have just been lucky that whenever a pressure situation has come I have stood up for the team and done well. I would like to continue doing that. I would like to contribute to the team in whatever opportunities I get and keep winning games. Excellent fielding by DD once again. How much time goes into the fielding aspect? We are a young side and fielding is a big part of T20 cricket. Being a young side we are intense on the field and concentrate on doing well (in the field). We look to saving that one run that can win us the game. Having won matches and brought games close how do you feel approaching the half-way stage? (There is) Still a long way to go and we would just like to keep winning games and not look too far ahead. (We want to) try and win the next match and take it from there. We will take it one game at a time and play our own game.