“Every team is trying to win the match” - DC skipper Rishabh Pant 

Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant believes his team was 10 runs short after their loss against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 41st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, in Sharjah.

Sent to bat first, DC managed only 127 for nine on a slow surface. Rishabh Pant reckons the team were 10 runs short and praised his bowlers for stretching the match that long. KKR completed the chase in the 19th over despite losing wickets at regular intervals.

“I think we were 10 short, not much. We knew the wicket would slow down in the second innings. But every team is trying to win the match. We want to give 100%, and if it doesn’t go our way, we will learn and move on. Batting was pretty difficult, especially for the new batters, as it was getting slower. We wanted to capitalise in the end with the bat, but we lost wickets and ended up 10 runs short.”

“I am pleased with the bowling performance. There isn’t massive changes required in the bowling unit,” said Rishabh Pant in the post-match presentation ceremony.

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Rishabh Pant’s dropping strike rate

Rishabh Pant was the joint-highest scorer in the DC-KKR match with a 36-ball 39. The strike rate has been an area of concern for the DC skipper, who hasn’t been at his fluent best since IPL 2020.

A vital cog in DC’s batting, Rishabh Pant averaged over 36 with the bat in his first four IPL seasons, striking at almost 163. Since IPL 2020, the 23-year-old has averaged 34.4 with the bat, with a strike rate of 120. Now a first-choice wicketkeeper-batter for the Indian side in the upcoming T20 World Cup, it’s a must fix in this rapidly evolving, fast-paced format.

Despite the loss against KKR, DC find themselves at the no.2 spot in the points table with 16 points. They will be eyeing a top-two finish to avoid the first eliminator.

In one of the most anticipated clashes of the IPL, the Rishabh Pant-led unit will next play the Mumbai Indians (MI) in Sharjah on Saturday (October 2).