IPL 2020 Match Preview DC vs MI | The six Ws and one H of the clash of the season

Sunday, October 11, 7.30 pm. 

Why is it being billed as the contest of this season?

There is little that separates the two teams. Both have ferocious pace attacks. If DC’s Kagiso Rabada is the leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps, MI’s pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah (11), Trent Boult (10) and James Pattinson (9) are among the top five bowlers of IPL 2020. 

If MI pacers have taken more wickets, DC’s pace attack has been more economical at 7.8 runs per over against rival’s 8.2 runs per over. Both teams have an impressive batting line-up, with an ideal mix of Indian and overseas professionals.

What are the other similarities?

This season, Delhi and Mumbai have won three games in a row. In head-to-head clashes, honours are shared equally with 12 wins for each side. Both teams have their playing XIs sorted, without needless chopping and shuffling. Both have preferred to bat first this edition and have lost a game each while chasing. The teams have a home-grown opener in Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, who have done India proud in ODIs.

How are they different from each other?

Mumbai have won IPL four times while Delhi are yet to make an appearance in the final. In this season, Delhi have registered the most wins (five), Mumbai are second with four. While MI would have had a five-day break going into the match, DC are back on the field in less than 48 hours.

Who are the key players?

MI’s Hardik Pandya, who is yet to bowl in the tournament, has been in a devastating mood with the bat (strike rate of 170.4). DC’s Marcus Stoinis has scored 162 runs at a strike rate of 176.08 and has also taken five wickets.

Which are the big contests to watch out for?

Pollard vs Ashwin-Axar

The Trinidadian’s 10 sixes (out of 12) and 90 (out of his 160 runs) have come against spinners at a mind-boggling strike rate of 250. It will be interesting to see how miserly spin duo of Ashwin-Axar (5 wickets each) but a superb economy rate of 4.50 and 6.90 fares against Pollard.

Rabada vs Bumrah

Rabada may be ahead with 15 wickets but nine of Bumrah’s 11 wickets this season have come in Abu Dhabi, so familiarity with conditions may compensate for fewer wickets. 

Quote Unquote 

DC head scout Vijay Dahiya: “Mumbai is a top-class side, there’s no doubt about that. They have won the championship many times, so I’m expecting a good game against them and that’s what you want in this kind of competition—to play against the best.”

MI pacer James Pattinson, “A team like that (DC), it is sometimes really hard to stop them. They have got a wonderful batting-line up, similar to ours as well, it should make for a really good game.”

Likely XI 

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (captain), Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, James Pattinson, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah

Delhi Capitals: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje.

(Vimal Kumar is a senior sports journalist who has covered multiple cricket world cups and Rio Olympics in the last two decades. Vimal is also the author of Sachin: Cricketer Of The Century and The Cricket Fanatic’s Essential Guide.) Follow Moneycontrol’s full coverage of IPL 2020 here