Mumbai, Aug 21 (IANS): The Delhi Capitals squad led by their captain Shreyas Iyer on Thursday gathered in Mumbai ahead of their departure for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played from September 19.

The franchise said that the squad and support staff members reached Mumbai in batches before leaving for the UAE.

"There is no doubt that it will be a challenging trip for everyone involved. But like everyone else, I've spent these last few months focusing on my physical and mental health, and taking care of my family," said batsman Ajinkya Rahane.

"So the time I've managed to spend with them has put me in a positive frame of mind. However, this IPL will be a very different experience for all of us, and we need to make sure that we are all very positive when we hit the ground running. The key is to take one step at a time," Rahane said.

"We have spent the past 4-5 months dealing with this pandemic, so everyone is aware of all the do's and don'ts. We all have been preparing mentally to live and play under such circumstances, and taking all necessary precautions for our safety and well-being," said Prithvi Shaw.

"All of us at Delhi Capitals play together as a team, and approach everything as one unit. We know people have a lot of expectations from us, but our focus will be on making the most of the training sessions we get in the UAE, and re-creating that fantastic team environment which made us so successful last year. We also have the chance to gel with the new players and then set our sights on the IPL season," he added.