NEW DELHI:
Rishabh Pant
, the skipper of Delhi Capitals, expressed his belief that his one-match suspension likely cost the team a spot in the IPL playoffs. Pant stated that had he been on the field, DC would have had a better chance of winning the crucial game.
Pant was sidelined for the must-win clash against
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
(RCB) on Sunday due to a one-match suspension imposed on him for a third slow-over rate offense.
The absence of Pant proved detrimental as DC not only lost the game but also suffered a 47-run defeat, impacting their net run rate.
Now, DC must patiently await the outcomes of other teams' matches to determine if they have qualified for the playoffs or not, highlighting the significance of Pant's absence in such a crucial encounter.
"I wouldn't say we would have definitely won the game if I had played. But we had a better chance of qualifying if I would have had a chance to play in the last game," Pant said after DC's 19-run win over Lucknow Super Giants.
DC experienced a rollercoaster ride during the initial stages of the season, grappling with inconsistency. However, they mounted a late surge towards the end of the campaign, bolstering their prospects of securing a spot in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, injuries to key players further compounded their challenges. Veteran pacers Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, and Mukesh Kumar, along with opener David Warner, found themselves sidelined due to various injuries.
These absences undoubtedly posed additional hurdles for DC, testing the depth of their squad and resilience in adverse circumstances. Despite the setbacks, the team displayed commendable determination as they navigated through the obstacles in their quest for playoff qualification.
"We started the season with a lot of hope, but there were injuries, and ups and downs. But as a franchise, you can't complain all the time; you have to make use of what you have... There are some things which you can control, but some things which you can't."
Losing skipper
KL Rahul
said that loss of wickets in the powerplay throughout the season has prevented LSG from utilising big-hitters like
Marcus Stoinis
and
Nicholas Pooran
.
"This has been a problem right through the season - we keep losing a lot of wickets in the powerplay, we never get a solid start to get the likes of Stoinis and Pooran in, that is the big reason why we are in this position." he said.
(With PTI inputs)
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