‘We were outplayed, but would love to have most players back next season’

Sharjah, Oct 14 (PTI): Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting “knows” that only three-four players would be retained by his franchise before IPL’s mega auction but given a chance, he wouldn’t mind entering the next season with almost the same team that he has at his disposal now. The Australian great though had no qualms in admitting that his team was outplayed by Kolkata Knight Riders in the second IPL qualifier here on Wednesday.
“I’d love to keep everyone,” he quipped. “To be honest, we have got… it is a terrific group of people at the Delhi Capitals, playing staff and the coaches have done an amazing job for the last couple of seasons. And I think our performances sort of speak for themselves there.”After being restricted to 135 for five, DC lost to KKR by three wickets. “We’re just disappointed that this season has finished the way that it has. But yeah, so obviously we know that we will probably only be able to retain maybe three or four players.””So, a lot of players will go back into the auction, and then I’ll be doing everything I can certainly to bring as many people back into the Delhi Capitals family as possible, because as I said, it’s been incredibly enjoyable, for the last three seasons, really for me.
“To bring everyone or most of the guys back together again, will be certainly a goal of mine,” the former Australian skipper said.
Ponting singled out the lack of enough runs as the biggest factor in the team’s defeat, saying the power-play was the difference.
Rahul Tripathi struck a stunning six in the penultimate delivery after opener Venkatesh Iyer’s brilliant half century to help KKR chase down DC’s target of 136 and enter the IPL final.
“To be totally honest, looking back at this whole season, I think today really is the only game that I feel we have been outplayed in,” Ponting said at the post-match press conference on Wednesday night.
“We didn’t bat well enough today, we didn’t get enough runs in the power-play, we lost wickets regularly through the middle of our batting innings.”