Having registered three wins and four losses in their first seven matches, Delhi Capitals will look to start their second half of the IPL 2022 campaign on a solid note as they take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium. Reflecting on the campaign so far, Delhi Capitals' assistant coach Shane Watson said, "For me, the most important thing is, us getting closer and closer and playing the perfect game of T20 cricket and just doing that over and over again. We had that a few times, we did that against Punjab Kings. We were good, we weren't at our absolute best, but Punjab Kings on that day weren't great. We also had some other performances where we got really close to that, and that's all we can do."
With seven matches to go, the Delhi Capitals assistant coach said, "For us to get into the Final, we have to be consistently playing at our best for the whole 40 overs, not just 35 or 36 overs."
"We know we can do that. So, definitely, the most exciting thing is that we have got the incredible skill and incredible talent within our group. We just got to harness that and bring that together for the next seven games," he added.
When asked about how the team bounced back from the COVID-19 setback, the former Aussie all-rounder stated, "It is challenging when you are isolated because we human beings are social animals. So, when you are isolated from the group when you are just in your own thoughts for more than a couple of days, it does make it challenging. But, it also made us appreciate getting out, getting to the ground, getting to the training, and getting to the game as well. And, to appreciate being out in the fresh air, making the most of it. So, it was definitely a challenging week for everyone, having sort of worked through that isolation period."
Watson also lavished praise on power-hitter Rovman Powell, who smashed three sixes in the first three balls of the final over in Delhi Capitals' previous match against Rajasthan Royals.
"It's exciting for Rovman and for Delhi Capitals as well. He has got incredible power, he has got incredible skills and he has shown this on the international stage for West Indies a number of times. We all knew that it was just a matter of time when he was going to put it all together in a game and in the situation that arose for him. He was ready to take it on. And, he got us very close but unfortunately not close enough. But, it is exciting to see him put that all together, and that's going to give him a lot of confidence going into the back end of the tournament," Watson concluded.
The Delhi Capitals are set to take on Kolkata Knight Riders in their next match of the IPL 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday.