IPL 2020, MI vs DC Preview, Qualifier 1: Rabada, Nortje hold the key as Delhi Capitals launch bid to enter maiden final

IPL 2020: Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals in both their league phase outings and that too convincingly. So, when Shreyas Iyer and his men enter the field on Thursday they would know the test that lies ahead in the first qualifier.

If one is to believe in Murphy’s Law, then Delhi Capitals should get themselves ready for the worst. More often than not, this team, even in its older avatar as Delhi Daredevils, has had to deal with the worst possible situation when playing in the play-offs or knock outs of the Indian Premier League. The franchise made it to the semi-finals of the first two editions. In 2008 it was a Shane Watson special while in 2009 it was an Adam Gilchrist show that ended Delhi’s bright campaigns ahead of the summit clash.

IPL 2020: Can Delhi Capitals beat the odds and enter their maiden IPL final? (IPL/Twitter)

This made BCCI rejig the knock-outs as they introduced the play-offs to reward the best performing teams in the league phase. Delhi finished top of the pile in 2012 again, but blew away their chance by losing both the qualifiers. Last season saw the new look franchise enter the play-offs after a gap of seven long years and they even won the eliminator against SRH. But the campaign ended with a tame loss against CSK.

But this team has continued to build on the success of last season and showed great form in the beginning of the season, producing a string of victories to reach the top of the points table at the half-way mark. But things started going pear-shaped thereafter and only a victory over RCB in their last match is what has ensured the team a second-place finish in the league stage.

They are up against the defending champions who have looked by far the most balanced and in-form team. Mumbai Indians beat DC in both their league phase outings and that too convincingly. So, when Shreyas Iyer and his men enter the field on Thursday they would know the test that lies ahead. With dew making an impact the toss will be crucial, but more than that will be the form of DC’s top order.

Dhawan showed signs of return to form against RCB while Rahane played an important knock. But he is not an impact player. What DC need is a big innings from either Prithvi Shaw or Rishabh Pant, both batsmen who can take the game away from the opposition. With Boult bowling superbly in the powerplay, Mumbai’s captains, Rohit and Pollard, have had the luxury of bringing Bumrah into the attack in the middle overs, which has disrupted the plans of several teams.

If DC can take Boult out of the equation by attacking him, then Bumrah might have to be introduced in the powerplay and that means the middle overs will be bowled by Pattinson, Chahar and Krunal. This is where Pant or Stoinis can make an impact before Bumrah returns for the death overs.

Delhi need to choose which bowler to go after and plan a carnage accordingly. Mumbai Indians on the other hand would hope both Boult and Bumrah to do their usual and break DC’s back by hurting the top order.

As far as Delhi’s bowling is concerned, both Rabada and Nortje returned to form against RCB and Ponting would expect a big-hearted show from these two men. Axar Patel’s economy has been a major aid in the middle overs but what Delhi would need desperately is wickets from Ravichandran Ashwin.

Mumbai’s middle is packed with solid players like Surya, Hardik, Ishan Kishan and Pollard. These are batsmen who can’t be kept quiet, and hence Delhi will have to be on the offensive. Daniel Sams was poor against RCB and Delhi can spring a surprise by giving Sandeep Lamichhane a go. The Nepalese leggie is a wicket-taking option and an additional spinner would mean less pace to work with for the hard-hitting Mumbai middle order.

It is Delhi’s match to chase and they need to make the right moves to unsettle the reigning champions.