"Ab Axar [Patel] ki batting potential, form aur not out averages ka aachar daal lena" - Twitter erupts as SRH beat DC by nine runs in a thriller
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat the Delhi Capitals (DC) by nine runs in a high-scoring thriller at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday, April 29. With the win, they also avenged a seven-run loss against DC in their previous fixture at home.
Opting to bat, Aiden Markram-led SRH posted 197/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Opener Abhishek Sharma starred with the bat, scoring 67 runs off 36 balls, including 12 fours and a six. Heinrich Klassen also hit an unbeaten 53 off 27 deliveries, including two boundaries and four sixes.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh emerged as the pick of the bowlers for Delhi, returning with figures of 4/27. Axar Patel and Ishant Sharma also took one wicket apiece.
A valiant effort, but not our night at home. https://t.co/MoIdlOvy5i
In response, DC lost skipper David Warner for a two-ball duck. Phillip Salt (59 off 35) and Mitchell Marsh (63 off 39) then staged a comeback as the duo shared a 112-run partnership for the second wicket.
The middle order, though, collapsed as Manish Pandey (1), Priyam Garg (12), and Sarfaraz Khan (9) failed to deliver. Axar Patel remained unbeaten on 29 off 14 balls, while Ripal Patel added 11 off 8. Delhi, however, fell short by nine runs in the end.
For SRH, Mayank Markande bagged two wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Akeal Hosein, T Natarajan, and Abhishek Sharma took one apiece.
Fans on Twitter expressed their disappointment at seeing Axar Patel once again bat lower (No.7) despite being DC's second-best scorer in IPL 2023. The left-hander has scored 211 runs in eight games at a strike rate of 142.57, including a half-century.
One user tweeted:
"Ab Axar ki batting potential, form aur not out averages ka aachar daal lena (Now make pickles with Axar Patel's batting potential, form and not out averages)"
Ab Axar ki batting potential, form aur not out averages ka aachar daal lena @DelhiCapitals
#DCvsSRH
Here are some of the best Twitter reactions:
Absolutely baffling team management by DC ! Yet again Axar batted so down the order despite a great start by Salt and Marsh. You want your best batters batting as up as possible. They had game under their control but too many cooks yet again spoiled the broth. #DCvsSRH
The lack of common sense at DC is astounding. Came through in the first match when Sarfaraz kept wickets.
Still clueless about Axar’s batting ability.
It’s a franchise protecting its jobs. Shaw’a media lashing by Ponting, a new low
#DCvsSRH
#AxarPatel is the best batsman of @DelhiCapitals in #IPL2023 -
Runs - 211 | S/R - 142.57
Fours - 16 | Sixes - 11
Avg - 35.16
Still DC management is not utilizing Axar Patel's batting prowess in IPL.
#DelhiCapitals lost 2-3 games just because of this.
#DCvsSRH #SRHvDC https://t.co/n4X936FL6U
With the batting form that Axar is in, he surely needs to come up a bit higher!
#axarpatel #DCvsSRH #DCvSRH #sunrisershyderabad #delhicapitals #ipl2023 #iplmemes https://t.co/pn6eY8Foag
Ricky ponting u dumb.... You are the reason of this loss..!
#DCvsSRH #SRHvDC
@DelhiCapitals Even Riyan Parag hit one or two boundaries before he throw away his wicket. But Lord Sarfaraz play T20s like ODIs. The way he Played against GT was horrible and still he has been given a chance. #DCvsSRH #IPL2023
#Dc vs SRH
#IPL2023
Todays loss of Dc due to poor bagting from middle order
By Manish Pandey, Sarfraz khan
And Ripal.
When you are in "worst management competition" and your opponent is Delhi Capitals management. #dcvssrh
Throughout the IPL, Ponting & DC have sent Axar Patel at a time when he cannot change a game...
Meanwhile DC jokers expect such luminaries of Tuktuk academy like Sarfaraz, Shaw, Garg, Pandey to change outcome of match 🙄🙄🤣🤣🤣
#SRHvsDC #SRHvDC
#DCvSRh #DCvsSRH https://t.co/qtwbXh97gu
Sane tweet again!
@DelhiCapitals need one way Impact Sub!
Just remove Ganguly! See the results
#IPL #DCvsSRH #JioCinema
DC deserved to lose this match purely because they sent in Axar Patel so late #DCvsSRH
DC’s tactics are so poor.
Again not promoting Axar up the order and today the opposition had 3 spinners turning the bowl towards the LHB.
#IPL2023
“We have been losing too many wickets through the middle” – DC captain David Warner
David Warner was disappointed with yet another failure by Delhi Capitals' middle order. The DC captain said after the match:
“To come up nine runs short is disappointing. I don't think the pitch slowed down a lot. They took pace off. When you lose wickets in the middle, it can be extremely difficult. We have been losing too many wickets through the middle.”
He, however, credited 'Player of the Match' Mitchell Marsh and Axar Patel's late flurry with the bat. Warner said:
"He's (Axar) in good touch. For us, it was about, we get off to a good start, and we know that him and me will have to handle their spinners with the ball spinning back in. Holding Axar can be difficult."
The 36-year-old added:
“We were off a bit with the ball, but I think Mitch Marsh bowled fantastic. He was our best bowler.”
The Capitals will now lock horns with defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, May 2. The franchise will look to avenge the six-wicket loss against Hardik Pandya and Co. that they suffered in their own backyard earlier this season.
Click here to check DC vs SRH full scorecard.