Decoding Delhi Capitals's opening woes in IPL 2023
What's the story
Delhi Capitals suffered a 27-run defeat against Chennai Super Kings in Match 55 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) on May 10.
This loss means DC now have just four wins in 11 games.
Besides winning their remaining three games, the Capitals might need to depend upon other results to earn a playoff berth.
Here we decode their opening struggles this season.
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DC's poor start against CSK
Chasing 168 at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium, DC were off to a poor start.
While skipper David Warner departed for a duck, his opening partner Philip Salt played some fine shots but could only manage 17 off 11 balls.
As both openers departed inside the first three overs, the Capitals could not bounce back and were restricted to 140/8 in their 20 overs.
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Paltry returns at the top
Interestingly, DC have not shuffled their top order much as Salt and Warner are just their second opening pair this season.
Warner and Prithvi Shaw opened in DC's first six games and could only manage 142 runs together at 23.66.
Salt then replaced the out-of-form Shaw and played some fine knocks.
However, alongside Warner, he could only manage 61 runs at 12.2.
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Do you know?
DC's average partnership for the first wicket this season has been 18.45, the lowest among all teams. While Punjab Kings (20.18) trail them, Kolkata Knight Riders (21.63) are the only other team with an under-25 average in this regard.
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Aggression in powerplay
Notably, DC have been aggressive at the top as their average run rate in powerplay this season has been 8.06.
While Shaw and Warner accumulated runs at 8.6, Salt and Warner have scored at 9.38.
The lack of consistency has hurt them. Salt and Warner's 60-run stand against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is the only half-century stand by a DC opening pair this season.
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How DC openers have fared?
Warner has been among the runs this season, accumulating 330 runs at 30 (50s: 4).
However, his paltry strike rate of 119.56 has hurt the team. Shaw has endured a horrendous campaign, managing just 47 runs in six outings at 7.83.
Salt's inclusion has been beneficiary as he has scored 168 runs in six games, striking at 175.
Scenario
Can DC still qualify for playoffs?
At maximum, DC can accumulate 14 points from here on, which might not be enough to power them to the final four.
They hence would need to depend upon other results. Two of their remaining three games are against Punjab Kings and one against CSK.
Besides winning these contests, DC must also enhance their net run rate significantly to keep their outside chances alive.