It has been a rough phase for Delhi Capitals (DC), as concerns like unavailability of their prominent players due to injury, and then delayed arrivals were followed by the COVID-19 outbreak in the DC camp. Six members in the camp tested positive for Corona Virus, including the Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh.
Moreover, the Capitals’ head coach Ricky Ponting had to miss a game due to a 5-day quarantine, as one of Ponting’s family members tested positive for COVID-19. Nevertheless, after this hectic part, DC will surely try to bounce back, in the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. To qualify for the play-offs, the last year’s table-toppers will have to win 5 out of their seven remaining fixtures.
Besides, the Capitals endured a dramatic loss against one of the bests in the tournament so far, the Rajasthan Royals (RR). In the last over of the match, DC needed 36 runs to win. Rovman Powell, DC’s middle-lower order batter was hitting the RR bowlers powerfully.
Powell smashed RR pacer Obed McCoy’s first three balls for three consecutive sixes, reliving DC’s hopes of victory. The third ball of the over was a high full-toss, which wasn’t called a no-ball by the umpire. While, DC skipper Rishabh Pant was particularly outraged by the on-field umpire’s decision, to not refer to the third umpire. The 24-year-old tried to call Powell and Kuldeep Yadav, the two batters on the field, back.
Watching all of this from the hotel room was certainly not an easy task for Ponting, as he mentioned that he broke at least 3-to 4 remote controls, and threw water bottles. The former Aussie skipper also added that he was messaging the team management repetitively about numerous things.
“It was frustrating. I think I broke three or four remote controls and a few bottles of water might have got thrown into the walls and things like that (laughs). When you’re on the sidelines, being a coach and you can’t control what’s happening out in the middle, that’s hard enough, but when you’re not actually at the ground, it can get a little more frustrating. I am sending text messages every over, do this do that, things like that,” Ricky Ponting said.
🗣️ "We’re too good a team for the results not to change." 👊🏼
📹 | An ecstatic @RickyPonting came out of quarantine to talk about the previous match and touched upon DC’s plans going forward in #IPL2022 💙#YehHaiNayiDilli | #CapitalsUnplugged#TATAIPL | #IPL | #OctaRoarsForDC pic.twitter.com/bZ1jIRlIqF
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 27, 2022
“Results will definitely come our way” – Ricky Ponting
Ponting moreover admitted that, as this COVID stuff is over the focus will swing entirely to cricket and asserted that the Capitals have all to lead in the second half of the tournament.
“I know we’re so close to turning it all around. We’ve all got to trust, we’ve got to believe, we’ve got to stay upbeat and positive. And if we are, things will definitely change for us. The harder we try from here, the harder it’s going to get. We’re just going to stay nice and relax and keep repeating things we’ve been doing. And then results will definitely come our way. We are too good a team for the results not to change,” said Ponting ahead of DC’s game against Kolkata Knight Riders.
The 47-year-old also expressed his joy over his return after serving 5-day quarantine. “I feel pretty relieved to be back outside again, actually after another five days locked in, and obviously missing the game. Things didn’t go well in the game; we had a drama at the end. But, it’s nice to be back outside again,” he added.
Written By Prachi Pisal
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