IPL 2024: Predicting 3 players who could pick up the most wickets in today's DC vs LSG match
Knockout is going to be the theme for the remainder of the group stage in IPL 2024. On Monday night, the Gujarat Titans (GT) got eliminated despite the match being washed out because they couldn't get the chance to secure all two points.
On Tuesday, Delhi Capitals (DC) face a similar challenge as they host Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Although both are level on 12 points, LSG have a game in hand. DC, due to their poor net run rate have a marginal chance of making it to the final four. However, if they win, they'll take down LSG's hopes with them. Losing the game would be official 'E' for DC while LSG's campaign would be all but mathematically over.
Below, we have predicted three bowlers who can have the biggest impact on their team's fate by picking up the most wickets:
#3 Naveen-ul-Haq
Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq used to be a supporting pacer till IPL 2023 for LSG. Now, due to injuries and issues of form, he has often been asked to lead the attack, which is also why LSG went wicketless against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).
In the match before that, though, Naveen picked up three wickets of key Kolkata Knight Riders batters -- Phil Salt, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh. The last time LSG played DC in Lucknow, he took out their current most in-form batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, squeezing out all his street-smartness.
He can have a similar impact in Delhi where, even though the pitch is one of the flattest, there's always a tiny bit of movement in the air to make use of. He played a lot here during the ODI World Cup with decent success and would know how to contribute maximum wickets here for LSG at a crunch time.
#2 Khaleel Ahmed
DC left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed is coming off an impressive spell against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) even though it came in a losing cause. Instead of his usual impact in the powerplay, he picked up crucial wickets of Dinesh Karthik and Mahipal Lomoror at the death with brilliant slower ones.
In two matches against LSG, he has bowled spells of 2/30 and 2/41, taking out Marcus Stoinis, Devdutt Padikkal, Quinton de Kock, and Nicholas Pooran. The Arun Jaitley Stadium was a tough ground for him before IPL 2024 but he has managed to turn it around, taking four wickets in the last two games.
He already has 16 wickets from 13 games in IPL 2024. Against LSG, where troubles are aplenty in the top and lower orders, Khaleel could be DC's ace.
#1 Kuldeep Yadav
DC's lead spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the easiest pick for this list. He was the Player of the Match in the clash against LSG in Lucknow, taking the wickets of the big three - KL Rahul, Pooran, and Stoinis - for just 20 runs. Even overall, he has an excellent record against LSG, sporting a bowling average of 19.17.
Even when Delhi has been at its flattest, Kuldeep has managed to take wickets. He took four against one of the best batting lineups in IPL 2024 - SRH - when they visited here.
Kuldeep's variations in speed and the even more subtle ones in turn have proved to be extremely difficult for batters. LSG will have him as their biggest roadblock if they have to clear their path towards the Qualifiers.