IPL 2020, MI vs DC LIVE: Shikhar Dhawan has scored two centuries in IPL 2020 so far. (Source: File)IPL 2020 Playoffs, MI vs DC: After securing an impressive win against Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier this week, Delhi Capitals would look to carry forward the momentum against Mumbai Indians and become the first team to reach the finals of IPL 2020.
Ajinkya Rahane showed good composure in Delhi’s last outing, and the team would hope for a similar show from the right-handed batsman. Shikhar Dhawan too looked in good touch and he could prove to be a key player in the clash tonight. Among the bowlers, it would be interesting to see if R Ashwin is roped in the playing XI after the spinner left the pitch midway in the previous contest. Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje will spearhead Delhi’s seam attack.
Mumbai, on the other hand, would hope for a quickfire from their in-form opener Quinton de Kock. Rohit Sharma, who failed to make an impact on his return from a hamstring injury, will take this opportunity to find some form and lead the team to their fifth title.
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Rohit Sharma: "Looks like a good pitch. We know we are going to bat first now, so just post a good total. We know we have a good bowling line-up to defend any total. Just got to start well and then take it from there. Three changes, Bumrah, Boult and Hardik are back for Pattinson, Dhawal and Tiwary."
Mumbai Indians Playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah
Shreyas Iyer: "We are going to bowl first. The wicket is dry and with a bit of dew, the wicket should be better to bat. Same team for us."
Delhi Capitals Playing XI: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Sams, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje
Delhi Capitals win the toss and decide to bowl first against table-toppers Mumbai Indians in the first Qualifieir of IPL 2020 at Dubai International Stadium.
“Let me tell you one thing, when it goes to the Playoffs, no matter what has happened in the past, it’s on the day which team plays better cricket. Delhi Capitals, I agree might not have the experience of playing a lot of Playoff matches, but what they have undergone this season is very critical. Success early on, failures were in the latter half of the tournament, and then a very good match to qualify for and play in the second spot. I believe that the kind of combination they have of good, young, experienced Indian batsmen, a battery of overseas fast bowlers and Indian spinners, that is a good mix of experience, pace, youth and then, if there’s one team that can challenge Mumbai Indians, it’s Delhi Capitals. So, be aware Mumbai Indians, it’s not going to be easy,” explains Sanjay Bangar.
In their first outing, MI defeated DC by five wickets on the back of Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav’s fifties. The second meeting was more a one-sided affair as MI rode Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult’s three-wicket hauls and Ishan Kishan’s 72*-run blitz to seal a nine-wicket win. DC, who are coming into this game following a “confidence-boosting win” against RCB, though, will be out to make amends and deny MI a hat-trick of wins.
Given the abrasive nature of the pitch and the dew, the team that wins the toss might prefer to chase on this ground.
Dubai has not been a happy hunting ground for Mumbai Indians, winning just one of their three games. However, that lone win has come against Delhi.
Trent Boult has been one of the chief architects of Mumbai’s stupendous run in this season. The left-arm pacer has been a revelation, picking up 12 out of his 20 scalps in the Powerplay.
Boult’s proclivity to take early wickets has eased the pressure on Jasprit Bumrah and emboldened the team management to unleash the star pacer in the middle overs and at the death.
It’s not that Boult has been getting prodigious movement with the new ball. More than that, he has cleverly used the angles and employed fullish lengths and the occasional short ball to devastating effect.
In a sense, Thursday’s game will boil down to how Delhi’s openers, particularly Prithvi Shaw plays Boult. The Kiwi pacer has had the youngster’s number in both the league games.
Asked if Mumbai Indians have an upper hand going into tomorrow’s encounter, Shikhar Dhawan said, “I don’t think they have an upper hand. We’ve got a quality team and we know we can beat any team. We just have to play good cricket and have to be very clear with our plans. I believe if we manage to do that, we can certainly win."
Shikhar Dhawan feels Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma may have lost a bit of touch due to an injury-forced absence and DC would look to exploit that when the two teams clash in the Qualifier 1.
"Rohit is a very good player, and he hasn’t played many matches so I am not sure about his touch, and that means that we can definitely take advantage of it," Dhawan said before Thursday’s encounter.
"My best wishes to him, but yes as opponents, we can take advantage of that for sure and make plans accordingly."
Quinton de Kock likes a good catch. Not only behind the stumps, snaffling flying leather projectiles effortlessly, but also beside quaint lakes, with a graphite fishing rod in hand.
Kagiso Rabada once again retained the purple cap and Qualifier 1 of IPL 2020 will see an intense battle between him and Jasprit Bumrah for the respective honour. Rabada leads the race with 25 wickets, while Bumrah who has played one match less has 23 wickets.
Kings XI Punjab are out of the IPL play-off race but their skipper KL Rahul maintains a good lead in the Orange Cap race. He stands at the pole position with 670 runs.
David Warner witnessed a massive climb in his ranking after his match-winning 85 from 58 balls against Mumbai Indians. The SRH skipper stand at the second spot with 529 runs.
He is followed by Delhi Capitals opener Shikhar Dhawan, who stands third with 525 points. The left-handed batsman will get to play at least two more games, even if Delhi fail to make it to the finals.
Devdutt Padikkal’s fine half-century against DC see him in the fourth position and he is followed by Virat Kohli.
Earlier in the league stage, Mumbai Indians got the better of Delhi Capitals in both the encounters. However, MI skipper Rohit Sharma concedes that as history.
“You keep doing well, I know you want to remember those performances, but it is always nice to forget what has happened and focus on the present,” Rohit said after his side's clash against SRH.
Mumbai rested key bowlers — Jasprit Bumrah (23 wickets) and Trent Boult (20 wickets) — against SRH. Both have been lethal at front and at the death.
Spinners Rahul Chahar (15 wickets) and Krunal (5 wickets) will need to forget the hammering they received from David Warner and Wriddhiman Saha before taking on DC.