It will be the clash of the titans when No.1 team Delhi Capitals take on the no.2 Mumbai Indians in what is expected to be a cracking contest at Abu Dhabi. The skippers of both teams Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer have led there from the front, and it reflects in their team’s performances. They are, in fact, the highest run-getters for their sides so far. MI and DC seem to be cut above the rest of the teams so far in this IPL.
MI has won 3 matches on the trot after their super over loss against the RCB and is sitting comfortably at no.2 in the points table. They are one of the teams along with DC, whose entire team is contributing to the team’s success. All the batters are in great form going into this match while 3 of their premier fast bowlers are in the top 4 wicket-takers list in this IPL. Their spinners who were considered weak links for them have stepped up especially Rahul Chahar who has taken 7 wickets so far. Their only issue might be the lack of wickets from their prominent all-rounder Krunal Pandya which might happen anytime soon.
DC is sitting pretty at the top of the table with 5 wins from 6 games and is growing dominant by each passing game. MI and DC seem the only that can stop each other’s juggernaut in this IPL. DC will be happier with the fact they have a new match-winner in all the games where five different players are emerging as a man of the match in each of the 5 occasions. Like MI, the Capitals have also won 5 on the bounce with Shikhar Dhawan’s lack of big scores being the only cause of worry for them.
Key players from both sides
Batsman – Rohit Sharma, Quinton De Kock, Shreyas Iyer, and Shikhar Dhawan.
Rohit Sharma has been in great touch but has been inconsistent at the top of the order. He needs to fire along with his opening partner Quinton De Kock who has had a scratchy campaign so far but showed signs of coming back to form in the last few games. The experienced duo can take the game away from the opposition when on the song but haven’t done yet so far, so this could be the game. Dhawan desperately needs a big score as the rest of all the batters around him have made significant match-winning scores. If he continues his string of low returns, DC might want to give Rahane a chance. Shreyas Iyer too has only a big score under his belt and has been largely throwing away a good start in the rest.
All Rounder- Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Kieron Pollard, and Krunal Pandya.
Marcus Stoinis is having a dream IPL so far with both bat and ball. He has taken 5 wickets and scored over 150 runs with the bat with two 50 plus scores and will be the one to watch out for. Axar Patel has been the most economical bowler in this IPL so far and played a good hand with the bat last game as well. For MI Kieron Pollard has been in sensational batting form and bowled some crucial overs when the team required. Krunal Pandya can be said as only one we can say who hasn’t fired yet and this could be the game in which he does something special.
Bowlers – Kagiso Rabada, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, and Trent Boult.
The purple cap holder in this IPL Kagiso Rabada has been outstanding so far the Capitals, and they will want him to shine in this battle of heavyweights. Ashwin after missing a few games due to injury is back and with a bang. He has been great in the powerplay picking up crucial wickets and rightly awarded the Man of the match last game vs RR. MI will be delighted with the form of Bumrah who picked up his career-best haul of 4-20 previous game and will once again be an essential cog to dismiss the inform DC top-order. Boult will be up against his former team DC who traded him to MI this year and will look to continue his excellent work.
Battles to look forward
- J Bumrah vs Prithvi Shaw
- R Ashwin vs Kieron Pollard
- Kagiso Rabada vs Quinton De Kock
Shaw has been dismissed on more than one occasion while playing the short ball and Bumrah can use it in his advantage if they face-off against each other. Kieron Pollard has a mindblowing average of 163 striking at over 208, and if any spinner can stop his juggernaut, it has to be R Ashwin based on his current form and skill. The battle between the countrymen De Kock and Rabada will be great to watch as a spectator. Overall this match will be a battle of equals.
Head to Head between MI and DC.
- Matches Played: 24
- MI Won: 12
- DC won: 12
Significant Approaching Milestones.
4- Kagiso Rabada and Harshal Patel both require 4 scalps each to complete 50 IPL wickets
88- Rishabh Pant needs another 88 runs to surpass 2000 run mark in IPL.
1- Shikhar Dhawan needs 1 more maximum to complete 100 6’s in IPL.
3- De Kock requires 3 more dismissals to complete 50 scalps as keeper in IPL(catches and stumpings)
Match conditions
Venue: Dubai International cricket stadium, Abu Dhabi.
Date & Timings: October 10, 2020, at 7.30 PM IST.
Weather: Clear with the temperature around 33 C.
Pitch: Likely to be a slow batting surface with possible due later on.
