DC vs SRH: Live Streaming, Match Preview, Timings, Stats, Pitch Report and more for Dream11 IPL, Qualifier 2

The Sunrisers Hyderabad have managed to get the better of Delhi Capitals twice this year.

Published - 07 Nov 2020, 23:25 IST | Updated - 07 Nov 2020, 23:25 IST

2 Min Read

Two teams with starkly contrasting fortunes will meet each other in the penultimate, decisive clash of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). With seven wins in the first nine fixtures, the Delhi Capitals (DC) were arguably the strongest contenders this year. From a position where a top-four finish looked certain, to the haunts of elimination, their campaign went haywire in the second leg of the tournament, and they lost four on the trot.

They met a team with a similar fate (read the Royal Challengers Bangalore), in their last league match, and a convincing performance secured them a victory and a top-two finish on the table. Although, another shaky tale followed, and the Capitals were demolished by the mighty Mumbai Indians in the first Qualifier. In fact, they looked so wobbly, so feeble that the mind wondered that was it truly a clash of the top two teams in the tournament?

Their performance was shambolic enough to raise the eyebrows of even the opponent skipper Rohit Sharma, who expressed his surprise and stated that he “expected some competition”. There are many questions that will rankle the management. Kagiso Rabada, who has been their main man with the ball, has not been at his best of late. Will Rishabh Pant be able to find his rhythm?

Was the move of making Prithvi Shaw open, who has 49 runs in his last eight innings, a correct one? Is keeping Shimron Hetmyer out of the scheme of things the right way? If Delhi can find the answers to these, they might get the desired result for themselves.

On the other hand, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have been treading in the category of one eliminator after another. And after a week full of them, they have another one on Sunday. For them, however, things started to happen just at the right time. While their rivals Delhi had seven wins in their first nine games, SRH was reeling with three in as many. But this is a league of unpredictability. Snapping the series of losses, they have managed a streak of victories, and are coming into this one with four in succession.

Their inspirational run aside, the Orange Army has also managed to get the better of Shreyas Iyer’s men twice this year. While they managed to outgun them by 15 runs in Abu Dhabi in the first half of the tournament, in Dubai, the Sunrisers dismantled them by 88 runs in what was a must-win affair for them. Although call it cruel or anything, a loss tomorrow kicks them out regardless of their admirable past. Having done what they have, Sunrisers must ensure that complacency does not creep in.

Pitch and conditions

Compared to the other venues, the track at Abu Dhabi still has some juice in it for the pacers. Mixing up the lengths well and varying the pace has deceived many batsmen on this track, and both batsmen and bowlers will be mindful of that. Kagiso Rabada, after the first Qualifier, stated that the patterns of dew have been strange. While at times dew has set in as early as the latter part of the first innings, at times, there has not been any dew at all. Thus, it will be interesting to see what happens at the toss.

Playing Combinations for DC vs SRH

Delhi Capitals

It needs to be seen whether Delhi continues with Shaw, or goes with Rahane as a partner for Dhawan. Daniel Sams has not been able to prove his mettle thus far, and the management might be inclined to include another overseas player in Shimron Hetmyer, at the former’s expense. For the majority part, the Capitals’ strength has been their bowling, and the team would want Ravi Ashwin and Kagiso Rabada to be at their best.

Probable XI- Prithvi Shaw/Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer (C), Marcus Stoinis, Rishabh Pant (WK), Axar Patel, Daniel Sams/Shimron Hetmyer, Kagiso Rabada, Harshal Patel/Tushar Deshpande, Anrich Nortje, Ravi Ashwin

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Wriddhiman Saha missed the Eliminator owing to an injury. With no updates yet on him, Shreevats Goswami is expected to open alongside David Warner, who both will be followed by Manish Pandey and Kane Williamson. Jason Holder’s inclusion has turned extremely well for the side, however, youngsters Priyam Garg and Abdul Samad continue to be a weak link in the middle order.

In Rashid Khan, SRH has arguably the most lethal weapon with the ball, whereas Sandeep Sharma and T Natarajan have been having a good time as well.

Probable XI- David Warner (C), Wriddhiman Saha (WK)/Shreevats Goswami, Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Priyam Garg, Jason Holder, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan