IPL 2019: Delhi Capitals probable playing XI against Sunrisers Hyderabad
The Delhi Capitals pulled off a chasing masterclass against the Kolkata Knight Riders as Shikhar Dhawan's 63-ball unbeaten 97 took his team into the top four, courtesy of a seven-wicket win at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
With the Delhi-based franchise having failed to pick up a win at the Eden Gardens since 2012, the Capitals needed a special performance, one similar to Dhawan's spectacular 50, which also put an end to his poor start to the season.
Chasing 179 on a batter's paradise, Dhawan went on the offense right from the start, as he made up for the loss of Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer early on, stitching a crucial 105-run partnership with Rishabh Pant to canter home with seven balls to spare.
With two wins on a trot, the Delhi Capitals seem to be peaking at the right time, and will be eager to keen to pile more pressure on the Sunrisers Hyderabad, who will be hosting the Capitals next, and face the arduous task of ending their losing streak.
Here is how the Delhi Capitals could line-up for the upcoming encounter.
Prithvi Shaw has looked out of sorts in the last few games and has thrown away a couple of useful starts. However, the youngster's exuberance and hunger to score runs could see him bounce back to form against the Sunrisers.
Shikhar Dhawan seemed to have finally put an end to his sedate start to this season with a well crafted 67-ball 93, and will be high on confidence after the match-winning knock. Having faced the SRH bowlers numerous times in the nets, the onus will be on Dhawan to continue his form into the game against his former team.
Shreyas Iyer had an off-game against the Knight Riders and will be eager to contribute more with the bat against the Sunrisers, having top-scored for the Capitals the last time these two teams met this season.
Rishabh Pant has stuck to his strength this season; hitting the ball long and hard. He has scored 222 runs from seven matches, at a strike rate of 166.92. With a quality bowling line-up coming his way, Pant will be banked on to produce the big hits in the slog overs.
Colin Ingram has not enjoyed the best of seasons until now, but can be expected to produce a top knock soon. With the top order scoring a bulk of the runs, Ingram has been restricted to playing the role of a finisher.
Axar Patel was a tad bit expensive against the Knight Riders but that would certainly not deter his confidence coming into the game against SRH. With a host of big-hitters in the Sunrisers line-up, the onus will be on Axar Patel to stem the flow rate and also pick up a few crucial wickets.
Chris Morris continued his wicket-taking spree in this edition of the IPL, as he accounted for two wickets against the Knight Riders and has emerged as one of the most consistent bowlers for the Capitals this season. With his raw pace and accurate lengths, Morris could prove to be a handful for the Sunrisers.
Rahul Tewatia hasn't had a lot to do in the last few matches but can be thrown the ball against the Sunrisers, with the pitch bound to offer some assistance for tweakers. Tewthia was impressive in the first meeting of these two teams with 1/10 from three overs and that could see him hold on to his place in the XI.
Keemo Paul was drafted into the Capitals' setup at the expense of Sandeep Lamichhane and while he was expensive, Paul did scalp two wickets and could prove to be a game-changer with his cutters on a strip that has some grip on it.
Kagiso Rabada has been the Capitals' most consistent player this season, with 13 wickets from seven matches. Bowling with pace, bounce, and accuracy, Rabada has flummoxed the best of batters and will hold the aces against a strong SRH batting lineup.
Ishant Sharma's experience from the national setup has come to the fore this season, as the lanky pacer has hit the right areas on a regular basis, and has five wickets to his name. The speedster will be looking for a good show against SRH, which could well give the Capitals a much-needed advantage against the hosts.
Probable Playing XI: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Colin Ingram, Axar Patel, Chris Morris, Rahul Tewthia, Keemo Paul, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma.