Delhi Capitals (DC) batsman Steve Smith said his team will have to pick up from where they left off when the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) resumes in the UAE from September 19.
DC had a great first half of the IPL 2021 and is at the top on the points table before it was postponed in May due to the COVID-19 outbreak and Smith feels his team “can do even better” and should play their best cricket in the second phase of the IPL 14 in the UAE to make it to final.
Smith said in a DC release: “We have to pick up from where we left off. We were playing some really good cricket, getting the results we were after. And I think we can do even better so we should be playing our best cricket in the back end of the tournament.”
The 32-year-old added, “You have to play well enough to get to the final, but hopefully, we can play our best cricket in the final. It's been a few months since we have played together so we have to build again. We have a great squad and we have Shreyas Iyer back in the side as well, which adds a lot more to us. He's a quality player and good to see him back out in the park.”
The Australian star also felt fortunate to be able to return for the remainder of the IPL 2021 – where DC will resume their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 22 September in the UAE – amid such a tough time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Smith added, “It's been a very unique time in the world in the last 18 months. We've all had to work together to try and get through this and we have to continue to get through the situation.”
He concluded, “I am really fortunate to have a chance to come back for the second half of the tournament. I am looking forward to it. Delhi is sitting at a great spot on the table so hope that we can keep playing some great cricket and be there at the business end of the tournament.”
(With PTI Inputs)
