New Delhi: Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel addressed his team’s narrow one-run defeat to the Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 8. The Capitals came heartbreakingly close to achieving the 211-run target, finishing their innings at 209/8.
Miller Revives Hope for DC
David Miller, returning from an injury sustained while fielding, played a pivotal role in the chase. After he had to retire hurt in the 13th over, he returned to the field and almost led the Capitals to victory. With 45 runs required from the last 18 balls and after KL Rahul’s dismissal for 92 in the 17th over, Miller reignited DC’s chances. Alongside Vipraj Nigam, they scored nine runs in the 18th over and then struck Mohammed Siraj for 23 runs in the 19th over.
As the final over commenced, DC needed 13 runs to win. Vipraj scored a four off the first ball but was dismissed on the subsequent delivery. Miller then hit a six off the fourth ball. With two runs required from the last two deliveries, Miller declined a single on the fifth ball, and Kuldeep Yadav, who attempted a run, fell short of his crease while trying to secure a run.
Axar Reflects on Key Moments
In his post-match comments, Axar indicated that DC could have approached the chase with greater prudence as they lost wickets at critical junctures. “Yeah, obviously the way we are playing, I think both teams played very good cricket. In a close game, there are many aspects you can point out. I believe that we played good cricket,” Axar stated.
He elaborated on the importance of maintaining momentum during the innings, particularly highlighting KL Rahul’s performance. “He played a very good innings. Even when wickets were falling, he kept the momentum going. He did not let the run-rate drop,” Axar remarked.
Miller ended the match unbeaten on 41 runs, while Rahul contributed a significant 92 runs from 52 balls. Vipraj added 12 off 7 balls, and Pathum Nissanka scored 41 off 24 deliveries. However, the Capitals’ standout player, Sameer Rizvi, was dismissed for a golden duck after Rashid Khan claimed two wickets in consecutive balls. Ultimately, DC fell just one run short of victory.
