SRH hope to bank on overseas talents
This is a complete mismatch on paper. Delhi Capitals are sitting pretty at the top of the points table while Sunrisers Hyderabad are languishing at the bottom after some questionable decision making, including sitting out their star player, David Warner.
DC, the 2020 IPL finalists, have won six games and lost just two to top the points table. They’ve been superb all-round with the opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw pivotal to their success. It is no surprise that they will be the favourites at the start of this game with odds of 1.63 to win this game.
Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad haven’t had the best of runs in this season. They have chopped and changed too much and will also miss their overseas star Jonny Bairstow. They managed to win just one game and lost as many as six despite the domineering presence of Rashid Khan, arguably the best spinner in the world in this format. They also changed their captain midway through as Kane Williamson took over the reins from David Warner. SRH will start as underdogs with odds of 2.14 to win this game.
Overall and recent records favour Hyderabad
DC and SRH have played 19 games against each other and the latter have won 11 games, but of late the tables have changed with Delhi finding the right team balance in the last couple of years.
RECOMMENDED BET: Although SRH have the Rashid factor, Delhi have been supremely consistent over the last few years and are in top form this season. Back Delhi at 1.63 to win this game!
The slow wickets in UAE will encourage SRH, but Delhi have some special spinners up their sleeve too in Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel aside from the veteran Amit Mishra. It is highly likely that we’ll see a low-scoring thriller.
Keep an eye on…
Prithvi Shaw: After an inconsistent 2020 season, Prithvi Shaw was superb in the first half of the IPL 2021. The 21-year-old opener amassed 308 runs at an average of 38.50 and a strike-rate of 166.48 and will be key in giving Delhi a strong start before Rashid steps in.
Rashid Khan: The Afghanistan superstar leg-spinner was SRH’s best bowler in the first half of the season. He returned with 10 wickets at an economy rate of 6.14. His mystery makes SRH a threat despite their abysmal record in the first leg.
TIP: Kane Williamson is in good form and is SRH’s best player of spin. Back Kane Williamson at 3.75 for a fifty!
