Following Delhi Capitals' fifth loss to RCB, a shocked skipper Axar Patel urged his team to stay positive. After a collapse saw DC at 8/6, he admitted playoff chances are slim, requiring wins in all remaining matches to have any hope.
After his side's loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel expressed his inability to immediately come to terms with what had transpired with his team hours back, but highlighted the importance of being positive and continuing to do what they have been doing. If fumbling a high-scoring run chase of 265 runs seemed like a one-off heartbreak, the defending champions had much worse in store for the Capitals as their fortress was breached again, with their team at one point struggling for breath at 8/6 in four overs. This is DC's fifth loss in eight games and for any chance at the playoffs, they have to win all their matches and pray that the other results also go their way.
'Have to be on your toes at all times in cricket'
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Axar highlighted the need to "stay on your toes in cricket" and the game is not about "ifs and buts". "I still cannot understand what happened. That is why they say you have to be on your toes at all times in cricket. Ifs and buts will be there - like if we had taken that catch or taken that run (against GT). But each day, you have to be on your toes and keep doing what you have been doing well. You cannot take it easy for even one day. Rather than thinking about what has happened, think about what is to come. Even if you stay negative or positive, you still have to play. Tonight was a bad day. We have to be positive and do what we had been doing (earlier)," he added.
Hails quality of Bhuvneshwar, Hazlewood
He hailed the quality of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, who silenced the DC fortress in the powerplay and was not surprised by the movement they generated. "(On the early movement on offer) I was not surprised. They (Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood) are world-class bowlers. One-two overs, if our openers and number three had batted, it could have been a different game," he signed off.
Match Summary
With this win, RCB have registered their sixth win in eight matches, with 12 points to their name. RCB are at number two in the points tally. This fifth defeat for DC, who have won three, keeps them at seventh spot in the points table.
RCB opted to field first, and excellent spells from Hazlewood (4/12) and Bhuvneshwar (3/5) reduced DC to 75 in 16.3 overs, with Abishek Porel (30) and David Miller (19) offering some resistance. RCB batters came out all guns blazing as Jacob Bethell (20 in 10 balls, with a four and two sixes), Devdutt Padikkal (34* in 13 balls, with three fours and three sixes), and Virat Kohli (25* in 13 balls, with a four and two sixes) sealed the chase in 6.3 overs. (ANI)
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