New Delhi: All but out of play-off reckoning, Delhi Capitals will expect a more purposeful approach from its Indian batting unit as it plays for pride against Punjab Kings in a 12th round IPL match, here on Saturday.
With four wins in 11 games, DC are staring at an unceremonious exit as winning the next three matches will only take them to 14 points, which might not be enough to earn them a place in the top four, leaving their fate in the hands of other teams.
The specialist Indian batters have hardly contributed and it has all been about either skipper David Warner, keeper-batter Phil Salt or all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who have given the team some momentum with willow. The likes of Manish Pandey, Ripal Patel and Aman Hakim Khan have lacked the killer punch as they have not been able to change their game according to the match situation. The inability of the middle-order to rotate the strike or find big hits has put paid to their hopes.
As a result, once the top-order caves in, they lack the wherewithal to finish a chase, something which was on display against Chennai Super Kings, the other day.
Skipper Warner, who looked good during the first half of the season, has struggled in the last five innings with single digit scores in three of them.
Salt sizzled with two whirlwind innings but he also was dismissed cheaply in three matches, including two ducks.
Marsh exploded once against Sunrisers Hyderabad with the bat but couldn’t do much in the rest.
However, the Australian has chipped in with regular wickets in the last three games.