IPL 2023: David Warner’s army faces Knights in a do-or-die battle at 'Qila Kotla'

Winless DC need to beat KKR at Kotla in must-win encounter to keep their playoff hopes alive

There is little doubt that Delhi Capitals are missing the iconic Rishabh Pant badly in this season’s IPL. Be it as a captain, a premier batter or a wicketkeeper. His inspirational presence would have galvanized the team to give off their best. His injury is not only a setback to him personally but also to the team that is struggling to notch up a win this season.

Delhi Capitals are the only team who have not won a single game, having lost five in a row, two being at home, which they have proudly named “Qila Kotla”. The fortress has already been breached twice and now as they prepare to take on Kolkata Knight Riders at home, they would be praying that (David) Warner Sena (Warner Army) would finally get onto the points table.

A team that has Ricky Ponting as the head coach and Sourav Ganguly as Director of Cricket, one would expect that side to fire on all cylinders. But that has not happened. Barring Warner and Axar Patel, the batting has been listless and the bowling has been just about average. The only time they came close to winning was against Mumbai Indians, who scampered home to their first win off the last delivery of the match.  

Also Read: Can win nine out of nine games, says Delhi Capital’s Sourav Ganguly

Ganguly still confident

Despite the setbacks, Ganguly remains confident and feels that the team has it in them to win the remaining nine games and with some luck make it to the Playoffs. “We are a much better side than what is happening on the field at the moment. It just takes one game to turn around and hopefully, we’ll do that,” the former India captain to his players.

“We need to put this [phase] behind, back the captain, back each other together and we’ll come back fresh next game [against KKR]. We can’t get worse than this, we can only get better. Still, nine games to go and we can win them all. Even if we do not qualify [for the Playoffs] we need to play for our pride,” Ganguly had told the players after their defeat to Royal Challengers in Bangalore.

Marsh’s poor form

One of the major concerns for Delhi Capitals has been the form of Mitch Marsh, who was in such tremendous form for Australia in the ODI series against India in March and was supposed to be the top performer of the team. But in the three innings so far he has had two “ducks” and a four. 

The team management would surely be in a dilemma whether to continue with him, but then there are hardly any other batters, barring Warner and Axar, who have been performing. If Marsh regains his wonted form, things could look up for Delhi Capitan and finally break the duck at Qila Kotla.

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