SHARJAH // Kevin Pietersen registered his first win as the Delhi Daredevils captain with a six-wicket success over the Mumbai Indians on Sunday, then immediately set his sights on home comforts in India.
The former England batsman was at the wicket as Delhi secured a victory that condemned the misfiring holders of the Indian Premier League (IPL) title to a fourth successive defeat in the emirates.
Although Pietersen’s side have fared slightly better than Mumbai during the IPL’s relocation to the UAE, neither team has overly excelled here.
Before the Daredevils team bus had even navigated the Sharjah rush-hour traffic, Pietersen had tweeted that he was looking forward to their return to Delhi.
“Thank you for all our support here in UAE, but I cannot wait to get onto our home patch on Saturday,” he wrote.
The latest listless defeat means Mumbai have equalled their worst run of results in the IPL, having also lost all four matches at the start of the 2008 competition.
Kieron Pollard, their West Indian all-rounder, says they are desperate to take some points back to India with them, with one match left in the UAE, against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai on Wednesday.
“The guys are working really, hard, but sometimes these things happen,” Pollard said.
“We have one more game in Dubai and if we can get a win, that will boost the confidence in the dressing room.
“This is what we are paid to do and we are not doing a good job of it.
“At the end of the day, we have to give our all, that is all we can ask for, and hopefully things can turn around.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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