Delhi Daredevils were having a fantastic season but they are losing the momentum at the wrong time. As the tournament is entering its business end,Delhi has lost two games in a row which will give the team management a lot to worry about. Delhi Daredevils bowlers conceded 80 runs in the last 7 overs which helped Kings XI Punjab post a huge target of 181. However,Delhi opener Quinton de Kock who scored 52 from just 30 balls, defended the bowlers and said that poor fielding cost them the match.
“I’m sure we gave a lot of runs away, but I think our bowling was fine. We were just a little bit sloppy in the field,” the Daredevils opener told media after the nine-run loss. “It was a good wicket, and other teams bat well also. We would like to bowl them out for 120 every time but that can’t happen,” he added.
Delhi was well on course to chase down the target, but a good bowling performance from the KXIP bowlers in the death overs restricted the Daredevils to a score of 172.The opener credited the two Sharmas in the Punjab camp Sandeep and Mohit for choking the chase with some tight bowling.
“Ya, I think that (death overs) were kind of where we lost it a little bit. With the new ball, it was quite nice to play and then towards the end of the game, it got a lot harder (to score),” he explained. “Obviously, they bowled pretty well also. We tried our hand but Mohit and Sandeep bowled well and to their fields. They also hit their yorkers. But saying that, we were also in a good position at that stage. It happens I guess,” the 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman added.
Talking about the two defeats in a row,de Kock said that the latest setback will not affect their momentum.
“No, there’s no worry. Obviously a little bit of loss of rhythm. But I don’t think we’re the only team that (this) has happened to in the campaign this year. We’ve got enough games still to play, so just need to make sure we get back to our winning ways. Winning is a habit I guess,” he noted.
He backed Delhi’s decision to rest Zaheer Khan, Chris Morris and de Kock himself – in their seven-wicket loss against Rising Pune Supergiants a couple of nights ago and said that it was taken to give the senior players rest before the important phase of the tournament.
“Well there were a couple of guys that needed it, they were a bit sore. A bit of the older guys were a bit sore,” he said.
“We’ve played a lot of cricket lately, so they just needed some time on the physio bed. We are only halfway through our campaign at this moment, so just making sure we don’t have any injuries at the wrong times,” he concluded.