NEW DELHI: All but out of play-off reckoning, Delhi Capitals will expect a more purposeful approach from its Indian batting unit as it plays for pride against Punjab Kings in a 12th round IPL match, here on Saturday.

With four wins in 11 games, DC is staring at an unceremonious exit as winning the next three matches will only take it to 14 points, which might not be enough to earn it a place in the top four, leaving its fate in the hands of other teams.

The specialist Indian batters have hardly contributed and it has all been about either skipper David Warner, keeper-batter Phil Salt or all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who have given the team some momentum with willow.

The likes of Manish Pandey, Ripal Patel and Aman Hakim Khan have lacked the killer punch as they have not been able to change their game according to the match situation.

The inability of the middle-order to rotate the strike or find big hits has put paid to Delhi’s hopes.

The bowlers have fared better with spin duo of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav bowling a good line, while pacers Ishant Sharma and Khaleel Ahmed getting wickets most times. The absence of speedster Anrich Nortje, who had to return home due to personal reasons, however, was felt in the last match.

Punjab Kings, with 10 points from 11 games, too is looking at a must-win game, following back-to-back defeats against Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively.

Punjab has blown hot and cold this season. In the last two matches, its bowlers have failed to defend totals as MI and KKR out-batted it.

Punjab had a chance to get into top 3 in its last game but it was Rinku Singh, who slammed a four in the last delivery to dent Punjab’s hopes as it entered the must-win zone with three games to go.

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