Harshal Patel believes Delhi Capitals will not take their next game against Rajasthan Royals lightly and the match will see him executing own skills. Patel will try to get better and will focus on performance and learn from mistakes they committed in earlier matches.
DC won against KXIP in Super Over, then beat CSK by 44 runs but failed to beat SRH as SRH won by 15 runs. They came back strongly though beating KKR by 18 runs and RCB by 59 runs.
Harshal Patel: IPL Is Extremely Competitive
Delhi Capitals are placed 2nd after table-toppers Mumbai Indians with eight points by virtue of four wins and one loss. Delhi Capitals face Rajasthan Royals next. Rajasthan Royals are bolstered by the arrival of all-rounder Ben Stokes. They will like to reverse their fortunes as they are placed at 7th position with two wins and three losses.
“I think every team in the IPL is extremely competitive, and that’s why the quality of cricket is unparalleled. So when it comes to players like Jos Buttler, Steve Smith or (Sanju) Samson, you just have to focus on executing your skill. You do the planning in your team meetings, and when you get onto the field — it’s all about execution,” he said.
“We’re just talking about how we can get better – even though the last game we put on quite a clinical performance but the conversation has always been around what else we can do to get better, what else we can do to close out the small mistakes that we’re making.”
“We just want to get better as the tournament progresses. Everyone who’s been around in the IPL knows that the second half of IPL is one of the most difficult parts of the tournament. So we don’t want to get complacent, don’t want to relax — we just want to keep our focus and try to get better by putting in the efforts,” he pointed.
Delhi Capitals will miss the services of veteran spinner Amit Mishra who was ruled out after suffering an injury. Amit Mishra is the 2nd highest wicket-taker after Lasith Malinga with 160 wickets from 150 matches. The likes of spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, all-rounders Keemo Paul and Daniel Sams and batsman Ajinkya Rahane are yet to be tested.
Pacer Ishant Sharma too has played only one match and bowled three overs, but after that, he is plagued by injury concerns. Ravichandran Ashwin too got injured but played in the last two matches.
Harshal Patel: Too Early To Talk About MI Game And Will Try To Get Better And Rectify Mistakes Of Last RCB Game
Harshal Patel who is 29 years old, played two matches in IPL 2020 and has picked two wickets averaging 38.5 with 2/34 his best against KKR. Delhi pacer Kagiso Rabada is leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets in only five matches. Among Delhi Capitals pacers Mohit Sharma has played one match where he conceded 45 runs and took one wicket. Avesh Khan has gone wicketless in one match while Anrich Nortje has played five matches where he picked seven wickets averaging 21.29.
“It’s too early to talk about the Mumbai Indians game, because we have one more match (against Rajasthan) before that, and the points table is always going to be dynamic. All we have to focus on as a team is how we are preparing and how we’re executing our skills on the field. And if we take care of that aspect, then the points table is going to take care of itself,” he said.
Asked about his own performance in the two games he has played, the pacer said: “It has been on par — to be honest, last match (against RCB) I felt I could have executed and planned a little better. But these things are part and parcel of the game, and you do get better as you keep playing. So, I’m hopeful I’m going to rectify those mistakes of the last game and continue to deliver the performances that I expect out of myself,” he concluded.
Harshal Patel has so far featured in 45 matches where he has taken 45 wickets averaging 28.71. His economy rate is 8.77, and career-best IPL bowling figure is 3/28.