IPL 2020 : “Thought we might qualify easily,” admits Mohammad Kaif after DC’s four losses on the trot

IPL 2020 : “Thought we might qualify easily,” admits Mohammad Kaif after DC’s four losses on the trot
Mohammad Kaif

It has been a complete turn around of fortunes for Delhi Capitals as they have now come to struggle for a playoff berth from being the table-toppers this season. DC’s 9 wicket loss to Mumbai Indians last afternoon was their fourth on the trot. Put in to bat first, DC struggled from the word go as they were able to put up a timid total of 110 on the board. MI chased down the total with 34 balls to spare thanks to Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 72 run knock.

Also read : IPL 2020 DC vs MI: Mumbai thrash Delhi by 9 wickets to confirm top two spot in the tournament

The win meant MI have now sealed the top spot but DC are left struggling with only one more game in their hand. With their star players, Shikhar Dhawan and Kagiso Rabada, struggling their playoff chances look bleak.

Players are feeling a bit of pressure

Delhi Capitals

DC coach Mohammad Kaif admits that the young guns are now feeling the heat after four consecutive losses. Kaif shares that they are backing their star players to step up for them in these dire situations. He also adds that they never expected the finish to be this tight for them this season.

“Players are feeling a bit of pressure, that can happen, we expect that we are trying to keep the team together, at some stage you will lose form and struggle for it but we are still backing our main players, we did not expect that it might come down to net run-rate, we thought we might qualify easily, now we have to fight it out against RCB,” said Kaif during the post-match press conference.

After 23 games in the IPL, DC pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada went wicketless against SRH for the first time and the story was the same against MI. With him struggling, the DC bowling attack has fallen apart. Kaif cites the slow pitches for the dip in his form. Apart from being wicketless for the last two games, Rabada, who is currently the joint highest wicket-taker of the league, has conceded a whopping 81 runs.

“I feel Rabada in the initial matches, there was a little bit of grip, the ball was holding up and that made life tougher for the batsmen, he has been fantastic in the middle overs, the pitches have become slower now so his cutters are not holding in the surface.“

The Capitals face Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their final league game on November 2 at Abu Dhabi.

Also read : IPL 2020: Evaluating each team’s chances of making it to the playoffs