Australia and Delhi Capitals (DC) star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has opened up about his stellar form in the ongoing 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE.
In the opening game of the DC in the IPL 2020 against the KXIP, the 31-year-old scored a quick-fire 53 off 21 balls and then snapped two wickets to help the franchise to drag the enthralling game into a Super Over, which they won on Sunday (September) in Dubai.
Following his match-winning show, Stoinis said he was carrying the confidence of good Big Bash League (BBL) performance into the IPL 2020, and not putting too much pressure on himself should help him deliver for DC in the ongoing lucrative tournament. He was the leading run-scorer in the BBL 2020 with 705 runs for Melbourne Stars and he is now just looking forward.
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Stoinis said ahead of DCs next game against CSK, “I've come in with some confidence through good performances this year, but also maybe putting less responsibility on myself than some other years. Sometimes when you're young and you're in a rush, you want to do well and you're trying so hard.”
The 31-year-old further added, “This year I sort of just wanted to express myself and its only one game, so we'll see, you can turn from a hero to a villain quickly, but yes, my focus is on just having a lot of fun and trust that I'll be good. Everyone who plays cricket at this level, the main reason you play it, is because you love it. That's the main ingredient.”
Stoinis had made his IPL debut with Delhi Capitals in 2015 and then went on to play for the KXIP and Challengers Bangalore before returning to Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2020. He has so far taken 17 wickets and scored 526 runs in 30 matches in the cash-rich tournament.
He added, “There are a lot of games, as a professional sportsman, that you go out and you don't perform as well as you want to. Cricket is that type of game – you sort of getting used to under-performing a lot of the time. So when you do perform and you do well for the team, it's a very rewarding feeling.”
The Aussie star also insisted that DC has an exciting group and the right balance of the players for the ongoing tournament.
Stoinis signed off by saying, “We have a good core of young players, with lots of energy and some good experience. We've got some good overseas players too. So, I think our balance, on the whole, makes it an exciting group and we've got good energy around the team.”
Noteworthy, DC will take on three-time winners CSK on Friday in Dubai in their next match.
(With PTI Inputs)
