Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
The Delhi Capitals have completed their regular season double over the two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders with a clinical victory at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. After winning the toss, Delhi fast bowlers tormented them with early wickets.
The trend continued throughout the first innings, as Mutsafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya and Kuldeep Yadav ran through KKR to restrict them to 146-9. But batting woes also continued for DC as they lost a few early wickets but thanks to crucial knocks by David Warner, Rovman Powell and Axar Patel, Delhi chased the total with four wickets in hand.
Changes in the points table
After the 41st match of the IPL, Delhi Capitals are sixth on the table with eight points from eight games. They also have a net run rate of +0.695. Whereas the Kolkata Knight Riders are eighth on the table with six points from nine games with a net run rate of -0.006.
Today’s Matchup
The Lucknow Super Giants will take on the Punjab Kings for the first time in IPL history. Both teams enter this fixture after resounding wins in their previous games. LSG defeated the Mumbai Indians by 36 runs, while PBKS completed their double over the Chennai Super Kings.
What did the captains say?
Winning captain Rishabh Pant talked about playing fearless cricket after their victory. He said, “We were thinking (of the wobble) because we lost too many wickets in the middle but at the same time we thought if we take the game deep, we can win it. It is good to have Marsh back. We haven't thought (about this as the best XI) as hundred per cent. Khaleel got injured and that was a forced change, once he is back then we will have our best XI. I was just watching the ball till the end (referring to his low catch).”
“I have been keeping a lot in the nets and that was my best catch throughout the season. We see him (Powell) as a finisher but like today when we lost too many wickets, he has to come up and do the job. We are not thinking about the points table and take one game at a time. We have to be more clear with our plans and that is something we can improve. I thought we would give him (Kuldeep) his final over from the other end but then the ball kept getting wet and I also wanted to change the pace, that's why I brought the fast bowlers in but it didn't work”, Pant added.
However, KKR captain Shreyas Iyer expressed his disappointment with his team’s approach in the game and said, “We started off really slowly and lost a couple of early wickets. It was holding up a bit (the wicket), but we didn't get a good score on the board. No real excuses, we have to go back and assess where things are going wrong. A lot of chopping and changing is happening (at the top of the order), it's been difficult to set up the right combination, with all injuries not helping as well. We need to stick together, play some fearless cricket, not be conservative with the bat.”
“Five more matches remaining, we need to play well, show belief and give something back to the team and the management, forget about the past, start fresh and back your instinct (on what KKR needs to do now). You need to sit back and think where it's going wrong, can't be overconfident, give your best, if we still lose, then it's fine. Umesh started with a wicket but gave away 11 runs in the over, that's where I thought the momentum turned. But he has given us a lot of good moments this season and has been very very impressive as well”, Iyer concluded.