Team mentor Kevin Pietersen believes that the Delhi Capitals are yet to find their “perfect match” and underscored the important part that toss played in their six-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. With eyes at the top, Delhi savoured the bitter taste of defeat for the second time in their third fixture and slipped to the fourth spot. After losing the toss, Delhi had the challenge of putting up a mounting target for visitors in their home den.
KL Rahul’s composed 41 (39) was the backbone of DC’s innings, and Tristan Stubbs’s belligerent 34(18) provided the much-needed firepower. Together, they lifted the hosts to 162/8, which proved to be substantially short against the in-form Royal Challengers.
In the aftermath of the game, Pietersen highlighted the significant role the toss played in determining the fate of the fixture. The coin spun in RCB skipper Rajat Patidar’s favour, who decided to bowl, something Delhi wanted to do as well, considering the dew factor in the second half and the dryness in the first.
“I think winning the toss was very important. There was dew, and I think batting was a bit easier towards the end. I think it was a little bit harder in the first innings for us. Those middle overs, the wicket was dry, and the dew hadn’t set yet. I think there wasn’t dew last night when we finished training,” Pietersen told reporters in the post-match press conference after DC’s six-wicket defeat.
“So I am not sure it whether it would have played too much of a role in what we did. Statistics said that in the previous seven fixtures, the team batting first won, so this was the first chase win. But we were going to chase this evening, I just think conditions and toss didn’t play in our favour,” he added.
After beginning the campaign with four victories on the trot, Delhi have pulled off a couple of nervy affairs, especially the one against Rajasthan Royals, a fixture in which they appeared down and out but made a comeback for the ages.
With Mitchell Starc’s expertise in death, DC followed the blueprint for success, pushed the game towards a Super Over and sealed their victory with nerves of steel. Even at the beginning of the tournament, Delhi scraped their way out to a one-wicket triumph against Lucknow Super Giants, courtesy of Ashutosh Sharma’s unparalleled heroics.
Pietersen reflected on their journey and believes the perfect match from DC is yet to come and said, “We haven’t hit our straps in all departments, and I think it is a good thing. We haven’t played our perfect match yet, but I do believe it is coming. We can only play 11 players.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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