Big picture
The Indians of Mumbai and the capitals of Delhi were touted as the strongest teams at IPL 2020 from the start. They both had strong first XIs, good bench strength and enough backing for key players. While the Mumbai Indians played as the defending champions for most of the league stage, the Capitals stumbled halfway before finding their balance just at the right time.
ALSO READ: Plan your Fantasy XI for Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals with our ready calculator
Now here they are again, face to face in the first Qualifier in Dubai, with the winner getting a ticket to the final. The loser will have a chance at redemption in the Eliminator, but no team would like to take that path. Maybe that’s why Rohit Sharma, returning from a hamstring injury, braced himself in the Mumbai Indians’ final league game even though nothing was at stake.
With both sides full of one heavyweight pitcher after another, it may come down to hitting units. Based on recent form, the Mumbai Indians have the upper hand there, especially with the capitals relying heavily on Shikhar Dhawan in the second half of the tournament.
The Mumbai Indians also have a better record in the playoffs. The four-time champions have won four of their last five playoff games. The Capitals, on the other hand, have only one win of their six playoff / semi-final appearances and have never reached the final. Past performances or current form, no matter how you look at it, the Mumbai Indians start out as the favorites for Thursday’s game.
In the news
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R Ashwin left the field as soon as he completed his quota of four overs in the Capitals’ last league game, against the Royal Challengers. It is understood that he was carrying a hamstring injury to the game. However, it launched online on the eve of Qualifier, so expect it to be in action.
Past meetings
The Mumbai Indians made a double over the capitals in the league stage. In the first game, Dhawan’s 52-ball 69 was able to drag the Capitals down just 162-for-4, which the Mumbai Indians chased with five wickets still in hand, thanks to the scorching half centuries of Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav. .
Then last week, Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah scooped up three wickets apiece to restrict the capitals to a measly 110 for 9. Ishan Kishan’s 72 undefeated on 47 balls did short work on the chase and saw the Mumbai Indians at home with nine fields and 34 balls to spare. That match was played in Dubai, home of the Qualifier.
Probably XI
Mumbai Indians 1 Quinton de Kock (week), 2 Ishan Kishan, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Saurabh Tiwary, 5 Kieron Pollard (capt), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Rahul Chahar, 9 James Pattinson, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Jasprit Bumrah
Capitals of Delhi: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (week), 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Daniel Sams, 11 Anrich Nortje
Strategy points
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In T20 cricket, Dhawan, Rahane and Iyer have a combined 159 runs with a strike rate of 134.75 against Bumrah without ever being fired. In contrast, Rishabh Pant, Marcus Stoinis and Axar Patel each are averaging less than 12 against Bumrah with a strike rate of less than 110. Since Boult has provided a breakthrough within the power game in ten of the 14 games, Mumbai Indians may use Bumrah more against the middle order than the higher order.
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Since 2019, Sharma’s IPL hit rate against power play effect is only 90; de Kock is 93. Therefore, the Capitals can use Ashwin early on against the Mumbai Indians starters. Ashwin also knocked out De Kock three times in five T20 innings.
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With the fifth bowler giving the Capitals a headache, they replaced Shimron Hetmyer with Rahane against the Royal Challengers to allow themselves to play left-arm closer Daniel Sams. Although Sams scored 40 in his four non-wicketless overs, Rahane scored 60 on 46 balls from No. 3. With Prithvi Shaw still fighting for runs at the top of the order, the Capitals can continue with the same strategy, to have the experience. by Rahane as a cushion.
Statistics that matter
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The teams that hit first have won 15 of the 24 games played in Dubai at this IPL. The total average of first entries in this field has been 171.
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The Mumbai Indians pacemakers have taken 60 wickets, the most for any team at this IPL. The Capitals are right behind them at 59. They are also the only two bowling alleys to have an economy of less than ten in 16-20 overs.
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While batting first this season, Iyer has scored 320 runs in nine innings, with an average of 40 and a strike rate of 133. Batting second, he has 101 runs in five innings, an average of 20 and a strike rate of 98.
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Shaw’s form has slumped after the first five games, in which he scored 179 runs with an average of 35.8 and a strike rate of 148. Since then, he has only had 49 runs in seven innings.
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Dhawan has five scores of 50 or more in this IPL, but has also been fired five times in single digits.
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