3 reasons why DC got knocked out of IPL 2023
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) defeated the Delhi Capitals (DC) by 31 runs in a one-sided encounter in the Tata IPL 2023. With the result, PBKS climbed to the 6th spot while DC remained last.
Batting first, PBKS posted a par total of 167/7 in 20 overs. The PBKS batting effort was headlined by Prabhsimran Singh (103 runs off 65 balls) with a stunning century. Singh struck 10 fours and six sixes at a strike rate of 158.46 on a turning track.
His knock was invaluable, as none of the other PBKS batters looked comfortable in the middle and managed to make a score of substance. For DC, the pick of the bowlers were Ishant Sharma (3-0-27-2), Mukesh Kumar (1-0-3-1), and Axar Patel (4-0-27-1).
In reply, DC were off to a flyer courtesy of David Warner (54 runs off 27 balls) and Phil Salt (21 runs off 17 balls), who posted a 69-run opening stand. However, after Phil Salt was dismissed, the floodgates opened as wickets kept tumbling for DC.
Harpreet Brar (4-0-30-4) and Rahul Chahar (4-0-16-2) were simply outstanding, as they were simply unplayable on a wicket that offered them some help.
In the end, DC collapsed from 69/1 in 6.2 overs to 136/8 at the end of their 20 overs. After this frustrating loss from a winning position, DC were officially knocked out of the Tata IPL 2023.
On that note, let us take a look at three reasons why DC got knocked out of the Tata IPL 2023.
#1 Bad form of overseas stars
With captain Rishabh Pant injured, the DC management was relying on overseas stars such as Rilee Rossouw and Mitchell Marsh to deliver the goods for the franchise.
After an excellent 2022 in which he performed exceedingly well for South Africa in T20Is, including in the 2022 World Cup, DC had high expectations from Rossow before IPL 2023. However, in seven matches this year, he scored just 127 runs at a strike rate of 123.30 and an average of 21.17.
Mitchell Marsh was impressive with the ball, picking up 12 wickets in nine matches at a fine economy rate of 8.43. However, his returns with the bat were rather ordinary.
In nine matches, he has scored 128 runs at an average of 14.22 and a strike rate of 131.96. He has scored just one half-century so far this season. The bad form of these two top overseas stars made the DC batting very vulnerable.
#2 Poor performance of Indian batters
DC had invested heavily in young Indian talent. The entire middle order of the franchise was almost entirely based on domestic players. After letting go of senior Indian stars such as Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer before IPL 2022 and Rishabh Pant missing out on injury, there was a lot of responsibility on these youngsters.
However, the likes of Aman Khan, Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan, Ripal Patel, Abishek Porel, Manish Pandey, Yash Dhull, Priyam Garg, Lalit Yadav, and Praveen Dubey.
One of the biggest examples of DC backing a youngster and him not delivering has been Prithvi Shaw. DC retained him over veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan before the IPL 2022 Mega-Auction. In six matches this year, Prithvi Shaw scored a meager 47 runs at a strike rate of 117.50 and an average of 7.83.
#3 Questionable decisions by DC management
Axar Patel was perhaps the only Indian player who was in good form with the bat. In 12 matches this year, Patel has scored 268 runs at a strike rate of 137.44 and an average of 137.44.
However, throughout the IPL season, he came in to bat at No. 7 or No. 8. In spite of several calls from experts to promote him up the batting order to utilize his form and potential to the fullest.
The results of at least 2–3 matches for DC could have been different if Patel was sent up the batting order. The decision to continuously chop and change the side meant that neither any of the players were secure about their position in the side nor found the necessary space to find their groom.
Thus, the team led by Ricky Ponting, which had done phenomenally until 2021, failed to deliver big time this year.