Delhi Capitals returned to the top of the IPL 2020 table after securing an 18-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday.
Delhi Capitals returned to winning ways on Saturday when the side clinched an 18-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders. In a high-scoring game in Sharjah, the Capitals held their nerves after Eoin Morgan and Rahul Tripathi almost steered KKR to a late comeback in the game.
The duo slammed 76 runs in merely 30 deliveries before Anrich Nortje dismissed Morgan in the 19th over and Stoinis secured DC's win by removing Tripathi later. Chasing a target of 229, KKR were held at 210/8 in 20 overs.
In the three matches in Sharjah so far, there have been more sixes hit (90) than in any other ground in the tournament. In fact, Sharjah has seen more sixes than fours (82) in this edition.
DC coach Mohammad Kaif said that they had no particular target in mind due to the nature of the game in Sharjah.
"We told the batters to show intensity in the powerplay and we got that right from Shikhar and Shaw. Shaw played a fantastic knock," Kaif said in the post-match press conference.
"There was no target. We wanted to hit hard in the powerplay and get the momentum. Shreyas Iyer played a brilliant knock, it was a team performance. We were a bit tentative against SRH, so we had to go hard in this game."
Kaif also praised Amit Mishra and Harshal Patel's bowling in the game. Mishra, however, was injured and could only bowl two overs but took the major wicket on Shubman Gill.
"He (Mishra) would've played a major role. He was a bit slower in the air -- the wicket of Shubman Gill was important. Rahul Tripathi's innings was a surprise. It was a very tight game in the end, but that's how Sharjah is," Kaif said.
"Slowers bowlers play a role in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Many teams bring slower bowlers after five or six overs. Here, slow balls and cutters don't help that much. But Harshal (Patel) was effective with cutters because he was bowling into the wicket."
He also talked about the decision to bowl Marcus Stoinis in the death overs, saying that he looked good in the nets.
"Marcus had been bowling well. He looked good in the nets and in the last couple of matches. He had a very tough over (18th over, which went for 24 runs) but his yorker to Tripathi was special," said the former Indian batsman.
