Delhi Capitals (DC) is termed as one of the most underachieving teams in IPL history. In the 2019 edition of the tournament, DC qualified for the playoffs for the first time in several years, but since then the Delhi-based franchise has done well in IPL.
Even in IPL 2021, the Capitals finished the league stage at the top of the table with 20 points in 14 matches.
Left-arm all-rounder Akshar Patel has been one of the biggest positives for DC as he returned 15 wickets in 10 matches which is his best performance in across the last eight seasons of the IPL.
While talking about his own performances, Patel revealed how the DC head coach Ricky Ponting gave him the confidence during IPL 2020 when the team reached the final of the cash-rich league but unfortunately lost to Mumbai Indians (MI).
“Last year, he took me aside and told me I am one of the main players in the Capitals team. Now that I have done well, he keeps reminding me what he said and that I should stick to what I have been doing. And the best thing about Ricky is that it doesn't matter to him if you are an international player. That's why we trust him so much,” Akshar Patel told The Times of India.
With the T20 World Cup 2021 just around the corner, the 27-year-old talked about how excited he is to do well for Team India in the upcoming ICC mega event to be held in UAE and Oman.
“When you start playing cricket seriously, your dream is to play and perform for India. The trick is how you motivate yourself after you have played for India. There should always be something new that motivates you,” Patel said.
“I have been playing for India for some time but ICC events like the World Cups and WTC final are the real deal. So, I always aspired to play in such big tournaments. Being part of the WTC final and the T20 World Cup has made me happy. But it's important to remain balanced after getting selected and not try too hard,” he added.
As far as IPL 2021 is concerned, the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals will be taking on MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Qualifier 1 scheduled to be played on Sunday (10 October) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
(With The Times of India Inputs)
