Delhi Capitals were 10-15 runs short against Gujarat Titans: Axar Patel

Skipper Axar Patel on Saturday conceded Delhi Capitals fell short by 10 to 15 runs after Gujarat Titans, led by an inspired Jos Buttler, clinched a seven-wicket victory in a high-scoring IPL encounter here.

Buttler produced a commanding unbeaten 97 off 54 balls to help GT chase down a stiff 204-run target with ease, handing DC their first defeat while defending a 200-plus score this season.

Gujarat, meanwhile, registered their maiden successful 200-plus chase.

Reflecting on the defeat, Axar said his team lost momentum at crucial junctures.

“I think we were 10-15 runs short. I think that made the difference. When we wanted to accelerate, we kept losing set batters and we lost momentum and we couldn’t finish how we wanted,” he said at the post-match presentation.

Delhi were placed strongly at 146/3 after 14 overs but a flurry of wickets in the death overs saw them restricted to 203/8.

Gujarat’s bowlers tightened the screws in the final overs, conceding only 15 runs across the last two.

Axar felt that a few more big hits in the final over could have made a difference while also highlighting the team’s shortcomings in the field.

“Even if we got a couple more hits away in the last over, we could have restricted them. We bowled well, but if we were a little better with our catching and fielding it would have been good, but we were short with our target.”

He continued, “There is not too much to think about. We just need to learn what more we could have done and not make the same mistakes next time.”

Gujarat Titans’ captain Shubman Gill was all praise for his bowlers, who pulled things back when it looked like Delhi might post a total well in excess of 220.

“The way we pulled the game back… at one point it looked like their total would be 220-230 but credit to the bowlers for pulling it back. Even in the first game, chasing around 245 we were right in the game and lost by around 10 runs. We’ve been chasing well,” Gill said.

Gill also hailed the calculated and effective 119-run third-wicket partnership between Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford, which came off just 69 balls and effectively took the game away from Delhi.

“(It was) magnificent the way Sherfane and Buttler rotated the strike and those hits were tremendous. Their partnership wasn’t just brutal hitting, it was very calculated batting. The way they rotated strike and picked their bowlers was excellent,” he added.

Buttler, who was seen struggling with cramps during his innings, particularly during the 15th over when he smashed Mitchell Starc for five consecutive boundaries, admitted the heat was tough to handle.

“I think it takes you by the surprise how draining it is. I certainly felt that while batting, cramping up and stuff. But that’s part of the game to be fit and (to) be able to perform under pressure in the heat,” he said.

The English batter wasn’t too bothered about missing out on a century, saying the win mattered more.

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“You want to win the game. It would have been nice, I had my chances; but the two points are nice. Rahul (Tewatia), in lots of games, comes on with few balls to face and can find the fence straight away so he’s really cool under pressure.”