It will a top-of-the-table clash in the 27th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 when the Mumbai Indians (MI) will be locking horns with the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Both MI and DC have had a brilliant season so far, and a lot of credit for the same goes to their bowling attacks. MI’s pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, James Pattinson, and Trent Boult have picked up thirty wickets between them, while Rahul Chahar has complemented them with his guile and accuracy.
Their power-packed batting unit has also been on point, with the likes of Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav have finally got their form back. The fiery knock of Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya has also helped Mumbai well in a few games, which has made them a well-balanced squad.
The Capitals will be searching for a fourth consecutive win on Sunday, and they sit happily at the top of the table with ten points out of a possible twelve in the season so far. Ashwin and Axar Patel have won one Man of the Match accolade each in IPL 2020, which throws light on the impact the bowler has had for the Delhi Capitals.
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Although both sides look very evenly matched on paper, MI’s power-packed middle order should hand them the advantage. As the two sides prepare for a thrilling encounter, here’s a look at three key player battles to keep an eye on.
#1. Jasprit Bumrah vs Prithvi Shaw
Jasprit Bumrah’s game-changing spells have been playing a crucial role in MI’s four wins out of a total of six league matches so far. He has scalped 11 wickets at a strike rate of 13.09 so far. However, the Indian fast bowler will have to outsmart DC opener, Prithvi Shaw, in the match, as Shaw has been in good form for the Delhi-based franchise, scoring 198 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 151.14.
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Shaw loves hooking short balls and will look to take full advantage of any bad deliveries and his tendency will be expected to be exploited by Bumrah. The opener will look to prove his capabilities against the premier fast bowler, with a fine performance capable of lending further credibility to his claim for the opener’s role in Team India.
#2. Surya Kumar Yadav vs Anrich Nortje
One of the best batsmen in IPL in recent times, Sury Kumar will be facing Anrich Nortje and it promises a lot on paper. The MI batsman was the highest run-scorer for the team in the game against RR, so he would be keen to continue the momentum. Yadav has an excellent IPL record and on the other hand, Nortje has termed as the premier bowler in this edition. He is the second-highest wicket-taker for DC in the ongoing season as he has sclaped 8 wickets in 6 games at a strike rate of 18.
#3. Rohit Sharma vs Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada has picked three and four wickets, respectively for DC in the two previous league matches against RR and RCB. One of these seven wickets was the prized scalp of RCB skipper Virat Kohli. He will be optimistic about maintaining this form and he will certainly not have it easy against MI skipper Rohit Sharma, whose sublime stroke play can ruin the bowling figures of some of the best in the business.
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Rohit is amongst the top run-scorers in the ongoing edition, having scored 211 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 145.52. He has been ensuring a quick start for MI and he is yet to hit the heights of his capability. This face-off will certainly be one to watch out for, considering the impact on the overall result.
