NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals faced a major setback on Saturday as their skipper and keeper-batter Rishabh Pant will miss the upcoming clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in
IPL 2024
due to a one-match suspension for their third slow over-rate in the tournament.
According to an announcement by the IPL, DC were penalized for their slow-over rate during their 21-run victory over Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on May 7.
In Pant's absence, the reins will be taken up by star all-rounder
Axar Patel
when they face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.
Addressing the pre-match press conference on Saturday, the Delhi Capitals' Head Coach
Ricky Ponting
said, "He (Axar) has been Vice-Captain at this franchise for the last couple of seasons. A very experienced IPL player, an experienced international player, a sensible guy, understands the game really well. He's excited about it. We started talking about it a couple of days ago when there was a possibility that Rishabh might be banned."
"He's got his head around it. We've done our bowlers' meetings today. He'll catch up with all the guys tonight, go through all the plans and make sure that he's ready to lead the team well tomorrow," he added.
Despite the setback, Delhi Capitals remain in contention for the playoffs.
They currently hold the fifth spot in the points table with six wins and as many losses, accumulating a total of 12 points.
While RCB have showcased resilience with four consecutive victories, including triumphs over Gujarat Titans twice, Punjab Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, facing Delhi Capitals, even without their suspended skipper, presents a distinct challenge for them on Sunday.
Although Pant's absence may give RCB an advantage, they mustn't become complacent and should remain focused on the task at hand.
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