Phil Salt played a match-winning knock of 87 runs in just 45 balls (Photo: Sportzpix)
Ranked ninth in a very close points table, Delhi Capitals could spoil a few parties in their remaining IPL 2023 fixtures
Not an ideal place to be, but Delhi Capitals’ dismal IPL 2023 campaign has given them the license to go berserk and activate the party pooper mode for the rest of the season. A comprehensive win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) would have done well for the mood in the DC dugout and dealt a mighty blow to the opposition’s playoff chances. The win takes DC to ninth on the points table and leaves RCB in a five-way tie with 10 points. Had Saturday been their night, RCB would have moved up to third but the defeat means they remain in a mid-table stalemate at fifth.
It is not the first time that we are seeing teams at the bottom of the table spoiling some parties, but in this very close contest, every point counts and no team would like to slip up at the business end. DC are mathematically still in the race as four more wins take them to 16 points and it is the fearlessness and intent, displayed at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, that gives the injured unit a menacing look.
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DC are now scheduled to play both Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings twice (home and away respectively) and the David Warner-led unit’s new-found clarity will make life difficult for the opponents. CSK, currently second on the points table with 13 points, will need to win at least two of their last three fixtures (two vs DC, one vs KKR) and PBKS can’t afford to put a foot wrong Because they find themselves at the top. Mid-table brawl.
batting act
For DC to continue inflicting damage on the teams ahead of them in the race for the playoffs, they need to stick to their batting template vs RCB. After experimenting with a lot of Indian domestic batsmen, DC went with overseas batsmen in the top four spots on Saturday. Phil Salt led the charge and was supported by useful cameos from David Warner, Mitchell Marsh and Reilly Rossouw. One thing that stood out in that victory was the intent of the four batsmen.
Intent was missing from Warner’s bat as well and the likes of Prithvi Shaw, Yash Dhull, Sarfaraz Khan and Priyam Garg were nowhere to be seen. DC continued to rotate the uncapped Indian batsmen and shuffle their positions but did not get the desired results. Presser after presser, different faces from the dugout defended the young Indian batsmen in the team but their negligible contribution dragged the team down match after match.
Not that the bowling unit has all bases covered, but when the batting fails to put up a fight, it becomes very difficult for the bowlers to win you games. A fight was needed in that close game against SRH, which they lost by nine runs. Had they won, the points table would have been tighter.
Mathematic
If DC win their next four games, not only will they derail CSK and PBKS’ campaign but also keep themselves in contention for a last-four spot. DC are currently ninth with 8 points and four more wins will take them to 16 points and keep PBKS at maximum 14 points and CSK at 15. The home stretch of the season will get even more intense if DC continues to play the way it did. against rcb
Rossouw echoed similar thoughts in the post-match conversation, where he stated that “the freedom to play the way we (DC) want” makes this DC unit very dangerous.
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“We can’t afford to lose another game so we’re going out with the freedom to play the way we want. The way we played tonight you won’t doubt whether we’ve lost 6 games or how many ever, who knows if we get lucky and get into the knockouts, the way we’re playing we’re dangerous Maybe,” Rossouw said.
DC next travel to Chennai where they take on the MS Dhoni-led CSK. Captain Warner is aware that the contest is going to be ‘tough’ but he is happy that his team has struck the ‘right balance at the right time’.
“It is about pace, we are finding the right balance at the right time. Now we go to Chennai and try to do well there, I know it will be difficult.
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