Delhi Capitals still haunted by 'mental scar' of GT loss: Ex-India cricketer

NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Murali Kartik believes Delhi Capitals are inactive mentally scarred by their heartbreaking one-run decision to Gujarat Titans earlier this IPL play — a nonaccomplishment helium feels wholly derailed their campaign.Ahead of DC’s important clash against Kolkata Knight Riders connected Friday, Kartik said the Axar Patel-led broadside has ne'er genuinely recovered from that melodramatic decision astatine the Arun Jaitley Stadium.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“DC, past twelvemonth had won 4-5 matches astatine the start, and adjacent this twelvemonth they won their archetypal two. If you look astatine their team, determination is not overmuch incorrect with it,” Kartik said connected Cricbuzz. “But that one-run nonaccomplishment against GT, those 2 points, that has been a intelligence scar for them.

That is causing them problems. I don't deliberation they person recovered from that yet.”

DC had looked acceptable for a beardown commencement to IPL 2026 aft winning their opening 2 matches. However, the melodramatic nonaccomplishment against Gujarat — wherever David Miller ‘controversially’ turned down a azygous earlier a final-ball run-out ended the pursuit — wholly changed the team’s trajectory.

DC’s run spirals aft GT heartbreak

Since that defeat, Delhi person managed lone 2 wins successful 8 matches.

Their run has included utmost highs and lows — from failing to support 264 to collapsing to 75 each retired successful different game.“They past mislaid aft scoring 264, past they are getting bowled retired for 75, they were 13-6 astatine 1 stage, truthful they went into a antithetic mode altogether,” Kartik added.Now seventh connected the array with 8 points from 10 games, DC indispensable triumph each 4 remaining matches to realistically enactment live successful the playoff race.The Capitals are besides struggling severely astatine home. Their batting has failed repeatedly connected hard surfaces against prime rotation attacks, portion bowlers person leaked runs consistently passim the season.

KKR get with momentum

In contrast, Kolkata Knight Riders caput into the contention with assurance aft winning 3 consecutive matches, including a triumph implicit table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad.“I don't cognize whether KKR are favourites for this lucifer oregon not, but they volition travel into the lucifer successful a bully space,” Kartik said.“There was a clip erstwhile determination was truthful overmuch disapproval against them. Players, captain, and everyone were being dragged.”While KKR’s playoff hopes stay slim, Kartik believes the erstwhile champions astatine slightest person regained immoderate assurance heading into the concern extremity of the tournament.