After a nail-biting finish at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel lauded Mitchell Starc's exceptional bowling in the final over that powered his team to a thrilling Super Over victory against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their IPL 2025 fixture on Wednesday (April 16).

With RR needing just nine runs to win, Starc's precise execution allowed him to concede only eight runs, pushing the match into its first Super Over of the season.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Axar reflected on the nervy final moments as he said: "I was thinking (on thoughts before the last over), if Mitch can execute, we will be in this. He bowled almost 12 yorkers. That's why he is such an Australian legend. I guess he missed only one ball as far as execution was concerned. The field was changed, but he kept at it."

The home team successfully chased down the 12-run target set by the Royals in the Super Over, achieving the goal in just four balls with KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs leading the charge against Sandeep Sharma's bowling.

Analyzing Delhi's overall performance, Axar acknowledged a sluggish start with the bat but pointed out that the team built momentum during the middle overs.

"All is well that ends well. The way we started, the way the powerplay went--I thought we could have accelerated a bit more. We were talking to the batters during the first strategic time-out. They told us the wicket isn't easy when you come in. I asked them to keep up the intent. But we got momentum after the 12 or 13th over while batting," he said.

The DC captain also discussed the challenges posed by the pitch and how his team adapted accordingly.

"The ball was gripping. It wasn't easy for the new batter. The set batter was finding it better. When the runs flow, the panic button sets in. I told myself and the troops after the strategic time-out in the bowling innings that the real game starts now," Axar stated.

"Won't be easy in the middle overs. It won't be easy to hit fours and sixes. We will have to do something off the deck, as nothing will happen on its own. When the set batter gets out, it isn't easy for the new batters here. A couple of wickets go down, and the panic button gets pressed under pressure. The ball was gripping and not coming onto he bat," he further remarked.

Commenting on his personal performance and leadership, Axar said, "This season, I had a cut during the Champions Trophy and wasn't finding it easy. You do get confidence when the team is winning. But as a captain, you do think of contributing. I tried to set examples. I batted and bowled well today, I feel."

In the end, Axar Patel stressed the importance of learning from experiences, stating, "It was vital to lose that one game. It helps us."

(With ANI Inputs)