Delhi Capitals captain David Warner remains hopeful of a turnaround despite his team’s fifth straight loss in the Indian Premier League after their 23-run defeat against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday.
Indian superstar Virat Kohli struck 50 to guide hosts Bangalore towards 6-174, a total their bowlers defended by restricting Delhi to 9-151.
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“We have to have a hard look at ourselves and come back strong with five days off,” Warner said after Delhi’s loss.
“Things aren‘t working at the moment, but teams have come back from 0-5.
“The positives were great … the bowling and the fielding were exceptional. I said that to the guys that their energy and attitude were absolutely amazing.
“It’s just our batting. We need to work out how to take on the Powerplay and not lose early wickets.”
The returning Mitchell Marsh, back after getting married in Australia, struck first for Delhi with the wicket of Faf du Plessis before compatriot Glenn Maxwell slapped 24 (14), including three sixes.
Kohli posted his third fifty of the season, smashing six fours and one six in an entertaining 34-ball knock, before falling to Lalit Yadav in the 11th over. Marsh finished with 2-18, having also dismissed Mahipal Lomror.
Delhi were never in the chase, losing regular wickets. Even Warner, who has accumulated 228 runs with three half-centuries in the tournament but has struggled with his strike rate, only scored 19.
The 36-year-old was tasked with reviving the Capital’s innings after an early collapse of 3-1 during the Powerplay, but fell victim to debutant Vijaykumar Vyshak in the sixth over, miscuing a pull shot.
Marsh departed for a fourth-ball duck, thwarted by South African seamer Wayne Parnell.
Manish Pandey made 50, but the rest of Delhi’s batting fell apart as local boy Vyshak returned figures of 3-20 for Bangalore, who claimed a second victory in four matches.
RAZA HELPS PUNJAB EDGE LUCKNOW
Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza’s half-century and some late boundaries from Shahrukh Khan led Punjab Kings to a two-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday.
Raza made 57 in Punjab’s chase of 160 before departing in the 18th over, but Shahrukh hit an unbeaten 23 off 10 balls to steer the team home with three balls to spare.
The Zimbabwean started slowly but soon found his groove as he smashed four fours and three sixes in his 41-ball knock before falling to Ravi Bishnoi’s leg-spin on a tough pitch.
Shahrukh top-edged a six off Mark Wood in the penultimate over and hit the winning boundary off Bishnoi as Punjab moved fourth in the ladder.
England all-rounder Sam Curran set up Punjab’s win with bowling figures of 3-31 as he stood in as captain following an injury to regular skipper Shikhar Dhawan.
Curran, the most expensive player in IPL history, and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada shared five wickets between them to limit Lucknow to 8-159, with Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis contributing 15 (11).
Lucknow skipper KL Rahul made 74 – his first half-century of the season – and took a stunning diving catch wide of mid-off, but his efforts failed to inspire the Super Giants, who slipped to their second loss in five matches.
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Punjab initially stuttered in their chase after losing their openers to debutant pace bowler Yudhvir Singh.
But Pakistan-born Raza kept calm to keep the Kings in the hunt despite losing regular wickets, including Curran for six.
Victorian Matthew Short also impressed for Punjab with 34 (22) batting at the top of the innings.
“Raza played nicely in the middle, and the way Shahrukh came in and finished,” Curran said after the win.
“The word around the dressing room is that he (Shahrukh) has worked very hard and the coaching staff have been clear with his role.”
– with AFP
