"Not enough intent," says Aiden Markram after defeat against DC in IPL 2023

SRH's lack of intent was once again on display as the hosts failed to chase a target of 145. Even though SRH looked lively in the powerplay, but they soon started to fade away due to the scarcity of boundaries. Mayank Aggarwal looked lively but he failed to register his first half-century of IPL 2023 after mistiming a shot against Axar Patel. The lack of intent was once again on display as Washington Sundar was walking to complete a run when SRH needed 9 runs in the last two balls.

"Not good with the bat. Not enough intent, not excited to win a game of cricket, unfortunately. We have to go back and see how we can be free and be better. It is difficult, you can say all the right things but guys have to buy into it. We want to play a certain brand of cricket and if we get it wrong doing that then we'll sleep a lot better at night. Tonight we lacked intent, unfortunately, we are letting us down because of a lack of intent. I would love to do that to be honest, something I quite enjoy doing, guys need to work hard [on motivating the team]. Incredibly proud of them, kept it pretty simple and used the conditions really well. Our bowling does not deserve to be on the losing side but a small bit of positivity I suppose," SRH skipper Aiden Markram said after the match.

Chasing 145, SRH got off to a steady start as Mayank Agarwal unfurled several cuts and well-timed drives to take SRH to 31/0 from five overs. Harry Brook, at the other end, found the going tough and the desperation got to him as he looked to scoop one of Anrich Nortje's but missed and was cleaned up for 7 off 14 balls.

DC tightened things from then on, bowled with discipline and didn't give the SRH batters an inch. They didn't concede a boundary for several overs as the home side reached 58/1 at the halfway mark.

Agarwal finally ended the boundary drought as he slapped one through covers off Mitchell Marsh for the first boundary in 27 balls. Marsh could have had the wicket of Agarwal in the same over but Mukesh Kumar dropped a touch low catch.

It didn't cost DC much as Axar Patel sent back Agarwal in the next over, having him caught at long on for 49 off 39. DC made it two wickets in two overs as Ishant Sharma came back and removed Impact Player Rahul Tripathi caught behind. Axar then got a huge wicket as he made Aiden Markram drag one onto the stumps in the next over as DC were all over SRH with four wickets in four overs. The required rate kept climbing and went over 11 by the end of the 15th over.

With 51 needed in 24 balls, Washington Sundar and Heinrich Klassen released some pressure hitting a four and a six respectively as the pair took 13 off an over. Klassen cracked a couple of fours off Mukesh Kumar.

Nortje then provided a crucial moment in the match as he had Klaasen caught at deep cover after he was dropped by Mitchell Marsh off the previous ball. Washington Sundar whipped one over mid-wicket for a four in the same over and then took a single off the last ball to keep the strike.

With 13 to get off the last over, Warner handed the ball to Mukesh Kumar again and the impact player left his mark as he clinched a 7-run victory for DC. (ANI)