'Holding Axar Can Be Difficult...,' David Warner after a Heart-Breaking Loss against SRH
Sarfaraz Khan undone by T Natarajan [Image- IPLT20]
Delhi Capitals captain David Warner reckoned that a poor bowling performance-sans Mitchell Marsh, and a middle-order meltdown contributed to his sides' 9-run defeat to the SunRisers Hyderabad on Saturday night.
The Capitals' bowling attack was taken to the cleaners by the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen, and it was only because of Marsh's 4-for (4/27 in 4 overs) and tight bowling from Axar Patel (1/29 in 4 overs) that they were able to keep SRH under 200.
Marsh had a perfect day at the office as he backed up his superlative bowling spell with a thunderous 39-ball 63 with the help of 6 sixes.
As long as Marsh and Phil Salt (59 off 35) were together, DC looked well and truly in the hunt, but once they were separated, similar scenes ensued courtesy of yet another middle-order implosion, with Axar waiting in the dressing room.
Warner admitted that holding back Axar has been a tough call, but he attributed the decision-making to DC having just 2 southpaws in their top-7, and a misfiring middle-order.
Here's what David Warner said:
"We were off a bit with the ball, but I think Mitch Marsh bowled fantastic. He was our best bowler. To come up 9 runs short is disappointing. I don't think the pitch slowed down a lot, they took pace off. When you lose wickets in the middle it can be extremely difficult. He's (Axar) in good touch. For us it was about, we get off to a good start and we know that him and me will have to handle their spinners with the ball spinning back in. Holding Axar can be difficult. We have been losing too many wickets through the middle."
Axar eventually came to bat at 7, and he ended up scoring a 14-ball 29* but by then the game was well and truly gone.
 "Yash Mittal")