After Delhi Daredevils once again failed to reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) play-offs, the capital franchise’s CEO Hemant Dua on Sunday expressed disappointment and blamed injuries to key players for the team’s poor show.
The Shreyas Iyer-led side suffered their ninth loss in 12 games on Saturday, which also shattered their hopes of advancing to the next stage of the cash-rich Twenty20 cricket league.
The last time Delhi managed to reach the play-offs was in 2012. Delhi has never won the IPL title, having reached the semi-finals in 2008 and 2009.
Dua, disappointed with the team’s performance this season, however, said that the squad comprises of youngsters, on whom the success of the team depends.
In a series of tweets, the CEO said: “It’s been another tough year and yes we have failed again in front of you #DD fans! I have read all your tweets and we are as disappointed as you all are! I know you might not believe but that’s the truth.”
“We all want to win and no one wants it more desperately than all of us here at @DelhiDaredevils … we have hired the best coaches and bought players which are the best and most of you agreed post auction,” he added.
Dua further said the injuries to pacers Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada hurt his side while a few other players took time to get in touch.
“Injuries took away @Tipo_Morris and @KagisoRabada25 and few of our senior players were not in form or took while to click,” he said.
It’s been another tough year and yes we have failed agin in front of you #DD fans! I have read all your tweets and we are as disappointed as you all are! I know you might not believe but that’s the truth. We all want to win and no one wants it more desperately than the all of 1/2
— Hemant Dua हेमंत दुआ (@inspiranti) May 12, 2018
2/3 all of us here at @DelhiDaredevils … we have hired the best coaches and bought players which are the best and you all most of you agreed post auction. Injuries took away @Tipo_Morris and @KagisoRabada25 and few of our senior players were not in form or took while to click
— Hemant Dua हेमंत दुआ (@inspiranti) May 12, 2018
However, Dua hoped that having youngsters in the team will help them in the long run.
“But what we have is a great nucleus of youngsters in @RishabPant777 @PrithviShaw #Abhisekh #Shreyas @IamSandeep25 #Manjot #Avesh #Sayan #Tewatia #Jayant and #Harshal with strong internationals next year we can do well! #DilDilli #ThankYou for #Support,” concluded Dua.
3/3 but what we have is a great nucleus of youngsters in @RishabPant777 @PrithviShaw #Abhisekh #Shreyas @IamSandeep25 #Manjot #Avesh #Sayan #Tewatia #Jayant and #Harshal with strong internationals next year we can do well! #DilDilli #ThankYou for #Support
— Hemant Dua हेमंत दुआ (@inspiranti) May 12, 2018
Delhi will now look to salvage pride when they host Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians on May 18 and 20.
