Having suffered a 57-run loss against the Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 1 on Thursday, Delhi Capitals will look to bounce back and make the most of their second opportunity to qualify for the IPL final, when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Even though the Delhi Capitals go into the match having lost both their league encounters against Sunrisers, their talismanic all-rounder Marcus Stoinis believes his side is "good enough to win".
"They have been in good form this season. They have finished the season really well, raced into the playoffs, and they won last night obviously. They are a strong team, and have got some really good batters, some in-form players, some dangerous bowlers as well, so it's going to be a good game," Stoinis said on Saturday, on eve of the second qualifier.
"I think Rashid Khan is obviously a great bowler -- everyone knows that. He is going to be dangerous and important for them. Then you have got David Warner at the top of the order and then Kane Williamson, who has been really organised and has steadied the ship for them a few times. So like I said, they are a dangerous team, but I think if we play some good cricket then we are good enough to win," the 31-year-old expressed when asked to sum up the Sunrisers challenge.
Stoinis acknowledges that conditions in the UAE have differed in matches, but believes his side has the ability to adapt.
"Yeah, it's been a little bit hard to tell – I mean some nights there has been dew, some nights there's been a lot less -- which has affected whether it's a lot easier to chase or bat first. But I guess the main thing is that we adapt when we get there, and I assume the (Abu Dhabi) wicket is going to be a lot central so both boundaries will be equally big. So it will be about being smart - certainly as a bowling unit and as individual batters. But we will be able to adapt to whatever is out there," said the Aussie.
With 314 runs and 9 wickets to his name, Stoinis has arguably had his best season in the IPL this year, but the all-rounder believes his team's victories mean more than his individual performance.
"It's always nice to make runs, but it's always better for the team when you win. So hopefully I will be doing everything that I can and prepare as well as I can tonight and tomorrow morning, but at the end of the day just hopefully we get that win (tomorrow)," he said.
Even though his team's form has dipped lately, Stoinis reckons that fearless cricket will benefit them against Sunrisers.
"In these long tournaments, there is a good chance most teams are going to go through those ebbs and flows but if you gave me this opportunity at the start of the season -- that we would finish second, and we have got one game to win to get into the final -- I think everyone here would take that, so I think we are going well. I think we have got to play some fearless cricket, and it's a great opportunity for us," said Stoinis.
Quizzed as to what motivates his team ahead of Saturday, Stoinis said, "The thought of some silverware, and a trophy for the Delhi Capitals' franchise is all the motivation we need. So like I said, there's only two games left in the IPL -- it's been a long tournament, we've been away from family and friends, but this is what we play for -- this is what every professional cricketer plays for – to win big competitions like the IPL, so motivation is always there," he said.
