Axar Patel lamented on Delhi Capitals’ defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Axar Patel emphasised the impact of missed opportunities as dropping catches hurt their IPL Playoff Chances. Axar Patel, the talented left-arm spinner and handy batsman, has carved a niche for himself in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
After a brief stint with the Mumbai Indians in 2013, Axar truly blossomed with the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) for five seasons. His consistent bowling and emerging batting skills caught the attention of the Delhi Capitals, who acquired him in 2019 for a hefty sum, making him their second-most expensive player at the time.
Axar Patel has been a vital cog in the Delhi Capitals setup. His economical left-arm spin bowling proved crucial in their journey to the IPL 2020 final and their playoff run in 2021. IPL 2024 has seen Patel continue to impress. The Delhi Capitals management placed their faith in him once again, retaining him for a staggering Rs 12 crore at the auction.
This season has been a testament to Axar Patel’s all-round abilities. He surprised many with a promotion to the No. 3 batting position against the Gujarat Titans in April. Not only did he handle the pressure well, but he also went on to score a career-best knock of 66 runs. Patel hasn’t disappointed with the ball either, providing crucial breakthroughs for the Delhi Capitals. In his last recorded match on May 13, 2024, against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, he once again displayed his batting prowess with a quickfire 57 off just 39 balls.
DC vs RCB
The last encounter between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on May 13, 2024, was a one-sided affair that saw RCB emerge victorious by a convincing 47 runs. While Axar Patel impressed with his batting for DC, dropped catches proved costly for their overall performance.
Opting to bat first, RCB rode on a solid performance from Patidar and Will Jacks to post a competitive total of 174 runs on the board. Rajat Patidar and Will Jacks got lucky when they were dropped in the ninth over. They got another chance just two overs later, off Khaleel and Rasikh respectively.
Rajat Patidar reached his fifty off 29 balls but got out miscuing to extra cover in the 13th over. Jacks followed, hitting straight to cover off Kuldeep. Patidar scored 52 runs off 32 balls with three fours and three sixes, while Jacks scored 41 runs off 29 balls with three fours and two sixes. Together, they added 88 runs off 53 balls for the third wicket, helping RCB reach 187/9 in their 20 overs.
DC’s chase began disastrously, losing four wickets within the powerplay overs. While Axar Patel stepped up with a brilliant knock of 57 runs off just 39 balls, it was a case of too little too late. The rest of the batting lineup failed to capitalise, and DC eventually fell short by a significant margin.
What Axar Patel Said
After the match Axar Patel added, “Dropped catches hurt us. Could’ve restricted them to 150.”
Although the target of 188 wasn’t impossible to achieve, the Capitals’ chase turned chaotic when they lost four wickets within just 3.3 overs. Despite Axar Patel’s valiant effort of scoring 57 runs from 39 balls with five fours and three sixes, they finished at 140, with him standing alone in the fight.
Patel said,
“When you lose four wickets in powerplay, you’re always chasing the game. 160-170 would’ve been a par score. Pitch was two-paced. Some were skidding, some were holding. When your main players are run out and you lose four in powerplay, you’re chasing the game.”
The Delhi Capitals are facing slim playoff chances and must secure a win in their last league match against the Lucknow Super Giants on May 14 to keep their hopes alive. With their net run rate trailing behind Bengaluru’s, DC finds themselves all but out of the race for the playoffs.
“Anything can happen, but haven’t thought that far ahead,” Axar concluded.