Delhi Capitals will look to consolidate their top position when they face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday.

DC qualified for the playoffs after seven years as they defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 16 runs at their home ground. The young team, led by Shreyas Iyer, seems to have their bases covered with all departments performing in this edition of the IPL.

Players like Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Iyer and Rishabh Pant have led from the front in the batting department, while in bowling they have been spearheaded by South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada.

On the other hand, CSK have not been at their best this season despite being the first team to seal a playoff berth. In the two matches that MS Dhoni has not played, they have not been able to handle the pressure and have lost the games. However, the reigning champions will certainly be taking some confidence from their win against DC when the two teams met at the Feroz Shah Kotla on March 26.

Here’s a look at the Top 5 player battles from Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals -

Shane Watson vs Amit Mishra

It has been a topsy turvy campaign for Watson who had a horrible run in the start of the tournament but he has regained a bit of form of late and now has 251 runs from 12 matches. However, on Wednesday, he will be up against Amit Mishra who has dismissed him five times in the IPL.

Suresh Raina vs Kagiso Rabada

With 25 wickets from 12 matches, Rabada is currently the highest wicket-taker in this year’s IPL and his performances are one of the main reasons behind Delhi Capitals booking their spot in the playoffs. On the other hand, Raina has enjoyed the best of forms this season and although his record in the tournament is something to behold, it will be a tough task for the left-hander to deal with Rabada.

Shikhar Dhawan vs Deepak Chahar

Chahar has been the strike bowler for CSK this season but against a in-form veteran like Dhawan, he will have his work cut out. With 15 wickets, Chahar has been a trump card for his team but the Delhi Capitals opener has been enjoying a brilliant run of form and it will be difficult to stop his onslaught.

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Rishabh Pant vs Imran Tahir

A fight between two extremely enthusiastic characters as both Pant and Tahir are known for their on-field aggression. While Pant has set the stage on fire with his explosive knocks including a 18-ball-fifty, Tahir has impressed with 17 wickets and he will be key to CSK’s game plan against DC’s star performer.

Prithvi Shaw vs Harbhajan Singh

This tournament has been a revelation for young Prithvi Shaw who has enjoyed a good run of form along with Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the Delhi Capitals batting order. Harbhajan, on the other hand, is a veteran of the game and he has also enjoyed a great run in this year’s competition. With 9 wickets at Chennai, he has been a top performer for his side and he will certainly pose a major threat to Shaw.

First Published: May 01, 2019 11:06 IST