"Our win in the last match will help us build confidence" - Axar Patel after Delhi Capitals' first victory of IPL 2023
Delhi Capitals all-rounder Axar Patel expects their first win of IPL 2023 to lift the mood of the camp ahead of the upcoming games. The southpaw admitted that doubts start seeping in when a team is unable to cross the finish line.
The Capitals huffed puffed their way to a four-wicket win over the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Arun Jaitely Stadium while chasing a paltry 128 on April 20. While they delivered an incredible bowling performance, the run-chase wasn't smooth sailing as the match finished in the last over.
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Speaking ahead of facing SunRisers Hyderabad on Monday, Axar said they will try to maintain their winning run. Reflecting on their scratchy win against KKR, the 29-year-old said they'll try to play a near-perfect game.
As quoted by a franchise release, he said:
"A win certainly changes the environment in the team. A few doubts creep in when you're not able to cross the line. Our win in the last match will help us build confidence. We will try to keep winning games. The wicket was tricky and they bowled quite well. Therefore, I wanted to take the game as deep as possible. There's always room for improvement and we'll definitely try to play a near-perfect game in the upcoming matches."
The Capitals had lost five consecutive games before beating KKR for their first win of IPL 2023. David Warner and co. can still miss out on a playoff spot despite winning their remaining games due to the competitive nature of the league.
"The wicket in Hyderabad is good for batting" - Axar Patel
Speaking about the pitch in Hyderabad, Axar reckons it will be good for the batters. He added:
"The wicket in Hyderabad is good for batting. The pitch will help our batters as we have been playing on slow wickets in our last few games. The ball comes onto the bat nicely in Hyderabad. SunRisers Hyderabad's fast-bowling unit will pose a challenge to us, but we'll plan properly to take on the challenge."
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The SunRisers, who are also struggling in the ongoing season, hold a slight edge over the Capitals in head-to-head contests. The Orange Army have won 11 games out of 21 between the two sides.