It has been a case of close but no cigar for the Delhi Capitals over the last three seasons, which can be seen one of two ways. Either the franchise is making significant progress as they hunt their maiden IPL title, or they have developed a psychological block that is stopping them from progressing when the knock-out games arrive.
Perhaps there isn’t a better example of the Delhi Capitals’ inability to replicate their regular-season form in the play-offs than the 2021 campaign when they finished top of the standings, only to lose both knock-out games with the Chennai Super Kings eventually going on to win the tournament.
Besides that, the Delhi Capitals would lose the actual final in 2020 to the Mumbai Indians. Before that and during their 2019 campaign, the team finished third in the regular season only to suffer the same disappointing fate in the play-offs. It has, in some ways, become a predictable story for Ricky Ponting’s men but that may be an overly cynical take with fans insisting that the informed view should be that since the Australian was appointed in 2018, their team has gotten closer than ever to winning the IPL.
Whilst the answer probably lies somewhere in the middle, the good news is that the team looks to be once again among the strongest contenders for IPL glory this season. Indeed, encouragingly for supporters of the Delhi Capitals, top online cricket betting bookmaker, NEO.bet, has priced the team at +550 to win the IPL 2022, which is second to only the Rajasthan Royals in terms of sides with a better price. With this in mind, you can see that the general feeling across the board as far as the leading bookmakers in India go is that the Delhi Capitals will once again be a competitive force in the IPL in 2022. Of course, the million-dollar question remains: can they finally win it?
To have the personnel to deliver a maiden IPL trophy, then the answer has to be a resounding yes. Indeed, with David Warner, Anrich Nortje, Mitch Marsh, and talisman captain Rishabh Pant, the Delhi Capitals arguably have the best spine of any team in the tournament.
Ponting’s men will, however, be pushed all the way by the Rajasthan Royals who have the devastating spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. Besides that threat from the Rajasthan Royals, the Kolkata Knight Riders will also be one of the heavy favorites courtesy of world-beating quick Pat Cummins and astute captain Shreyas Iyer. Irrespective of how much X factor other teams have, the Delhi Capitals have the strength in depth to hold off any challenge and should, on paper, win this tournament.
But Cricket isn’t played on paper. The game takes place on a strip measuring 22 yards in the middle of a field. It is here where the rubber hits the road as teams have to rise to the challenge and conquer their demons.
