Maintaining winning momentum crucial for DD: Van der Merwe

Their six-game losing streak in the ongoing IPL snapped with a victory against Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe today said his team would look to maintain the winning momentum against Kings XI Punjab here tomorrow.
"The importance is massive, especially in this tournament where there is a lot at stake. Momentum...It is only 16 games, it sounds like a lot but I mean look at us, we have lost six and we are running out of time so momentum now is crucial for us to win two or three on the bounce and then towards the end you never know we might be in with a chance," Van der Merwe told reporters at the pre-match press conference today.

Van der Merwe, who played his first game of the season against MI yesterday said, it was "quite frustrating" to lose six matches on the trot.
"The victory was special especially after the kind of season we had last year. After playing in the semi-final (last year), six losses in a row wasn't what we expected and the kind of good players we have it is quite frustrating. Sunday night was good for our confidence and you might never know we might still pull through," he said.
The South African spinner, who had been waiting to get an opportunity to take the field, claimed a wicket in his first over against MI to finish with figures of one for 35 from his four overs.

Asked about keeping himself motivated before getting a chance to start in the playing XI against Mumbai, he said, "It is hard being an overseas player, who is not a KP (Kevin Pietersen) and guys who are always going to play. You sit on the sidelines and you imagine you will get your chance, and you know you got one game to do well otherwise the change will be made.