IPL 2023: Warner's Delhi Capitals showing signs of marked improvement

In what will rank as one of the biggest shocks in IPL history, unfancied Delhi Capitals produced a seminal performance to defeat defending champion Gujarat Titans by five runs in an absolute pot-boiler on Tuesday.

Defending a modest total of 130 for eight after Mohammed Shami ripped through its top order, the Capitals took to the field fired up and pulled off a victory of huge magnitude and one which has sent ripples through the mega city-based franchise tournament.

Titans skipper Hardik Pandya took responsibility for his side’s defeat, only the third in nine matches, acknowledging that he should have been able to finish the match having posted an unbeaten 59 (from 53 deliveries).

Ishant Sharma, who delivered the finishing blow when he removed the dangerous Rahul Tewatia (20 from 7 deliveries) with Gujarat requiring nine runs from three deliveries, said that Delhi will be looking to ride the new-found momentum and secure a ticket to the knock-out stage of the tournament.

In recognition of the stunning turn of events in the match, we look at five key points.

Indomitable spirit

With six losses from eight games, Delhi Capitals knew that it desperately needed to beat Gujarat Titans if it hoped to be taken seriously.

Although there is a likelihood that it must still need to win the bulk of its five remaining games to make the playoffs.

However, there are signs that the David Warner-led squad is starting to bond well and is committed to playing positive cricket irrespective of the situation.

Self-belief

This attitude was very much evident in the match when it took the field with a spring in its steps and began the fightback by removing Gujarat’s leading batters including Wriddhiman Saha (0), Shubman Gill (6), Vijay Shankar (6) and David Miller (0) by the seventh over.

Khaleel Ahmed and Kuldeep Yadav complemented each other with the ball, and but for a stoic unbeaten knock by Hardik Pandya, could have won with a lot to spare.

The fightback

Perhaps nobody grasped the do-or-die situation that Delhi was in better than the gallant Aman Khan (51 from 44) who spearheaded the fightback in the middle over with the help of Axar Patel (27 from 30) and Ripal Patel (23 from 19) in posting back-to-back half-century partnerships for the sixth and seventh wickets.

Playing with a high degree of caution and only allowing themselves the occasional swipe at the ball, the partnerships added 100 crucial runs and ultimately hauled Delhi to a position from whey they could counter-attack.

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