We can still make playoffs: Zaheer
Delhi Daredevils skipper Zaheer Khan insists his team can still make the play-offs despite the drubbing it received at the hands of table-toppers Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
Mathematically, Delhi still have a slim chance of progressing in the competition provided they win all their remaining three games.
With Saturday’s 146-run loss, Delhi are sixth in the points table with four wins and seven losses.
“We still have a chance. We need to win. You can always talk about the points table but the first thing is that we need to win. We need to regroup as quickly as possible, we got a three day break coming up, that will help us regroup and come back stronger,” said Zaheer after his team was bowled out for 66, their lowest total this season.
The heavy loss had come after back-to-back successful chases at the Feroz Shah Kotla, raising hopes of revival for the Daredevils.
“Nine days back nobody was giving us a chance (in the tournament). Today you are talking about play offs. Surely, it is going to go down to the wire. We need to stay positive, the mindset is critical. We will be doing the same things that we have done in the past,” said the former India pacer.
It was the second time this season that Delhi were bowled out for a sub-70 total but Zaheer defended his batsmen.
“It was a good Delhi wicket to bat on. Basically, when you are chasing 200 plus, you have to go for it from ball one. As a batting unit you have to do things which have been working for you. I don’t think there was anything wrong in terms of approach. It was one of those days we couldn’t get going,” said the captain referring to team’s chases of 208 and 185 in their previous two games.
Delhi have not reached the play-offs since 2012 and were amongst the laggards the last four editions.
However, Zaheer thinks the team is improving.
“It is about building a squad and that has been going well for us. You can see that with the kind of atmosphere in the dressing room, the energy on the field. We are consciously working on it,” he said.
“T20 format is such that you have to get the momentum and stay on top. If you look at the team graph, it has been going upwards in the last three four years.
“It is just the little things need work and it will happen in due course.”