Heading into our vital clash against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday, we know we need to win to keep our playoff hopes alive. However, it’s just not survival we are after.

Despite the challenging situation we are in, the boys are ready to give it their all to make the top four and then kick on from there to bring the IPL 2024 trophy back to Lucknow, to our fans.

Just before our crucial clash against DC in Delhi, our assistant coach Lance Klusener underlined the exact sentiments.

“We would like to be just a little bit more consistent. If we want to win the IPL, we probably have to win five in a row, which I think RCB has just done. So it is absolutely possible,” the Protea legend said.

However, Klusener also admitted that the team will be approaching the overarching goal one step at a time.

“That’s just the big picture, we have to go over the line tomorrow before we have any other aspirations,” he stated.

Currently seventh on the IPL 2024 points table with 12 points from as many games, we need to win both our remaining league stage fixtures, first against DC and then against the Mumbai Indians, to have a realistic chance of finishing in the top four and making the playoffs.

To achieve that goal, we are counting heavily on skipper KL Rahul to deliver with the bat. After all, he has been our top scorer this season with 460 runs in 12 innings. Klusener feels that he could’ve contributed even more.

“I think this IPL has been exceptionally tough for him because we have kept losing wickets at regular stages which hasn’t allowed him to kick on where he likes. So I think it is the batting unit around KL, we haven’t been as good as we should be,” Zulu speculated.

While the playing surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium has been nothing short of a batting paradise this season, accounting for 1835 runs in four matches at an average of 229.37 per innings. Batters have scored with a run rate of 11.52 at the venue.

Klusener, though, feels the team should focus on not losing quick wickets rather than throwing caution to the wind and going for a big score.

“We are aware it is a fast-scoring ground and fast-scoring grounds normally take care of themselves. I don’t think you need to suddenly try and score faster than you need to,” he said.

Losing quick wickets cost us dearly in our last match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. We were reeling at 66/4 at one stage before Nicky P and Ayush Badoni put up a rescue act. However, it went in vain as we ended up on the losing side.