Deadline: April 20, 7:30 PM IST
Delhi have a fabulous batting line-up that has chased down 189 and 196. However, their success has more to do with the nature of the Wankhede wicket. On Tuesday they will be playing at Chennai, where five of the six matches have been won by the team batting first. The pitch slows down in the second innings and spells doom for the batsmen. In the only game they lost, Delhi batted first: Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw walked back early in the powerplay and Delhi found it difficult to continue the counterattack.
To make matters worse, they will be up against Mumbai who have defended reasonable scores such as 153 and 151 and are reputed for snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Mumbai have a superior bowling unit, and the only way Delhi can get the better of them is by punching well above their weight.
Probable 11
The Chepauk pitch has been brilliant for the spinners. Amit Mishra is likely to replace the pacer Lukman Meriwala.
Delhi: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Steven Smith, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Marcus Stoinis, Lalit Yadav, Chris Woakes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Lukman Meriwala/Amit Mishra
It was Adam Milne’s first game of the season last weekend. Although he was expensive, Mumbai won’t make any changes right away, unless there is any change in strategy.
Mumbai: Rohit Sharma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Rahul Chahar, Adam Milne, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult
Fantasy team
We have opted for a fantasy cricket team based on recent performances, impact, and credit points.
Fantasy Cricket Team for Today’s Match
Pitch report
The first 10 overs are lovely to bat on the Chepauk pitch, and then begins a downhill journey for the batsmen. Mumbai’s middle-order has not dominated as much as it should have, but it is doing enough to post 150 runs. Delhi have to take their focus off attacking cricket and play according to the conditions.
The best fantasy cricket tip would be to choose your teams according to the toss. Selecting the top four batsmen from the team batting first in your online fantasy cricket teams.
Strategy
It was surprising that Delhi utilised R Ashwin’s 3 overs before Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran took the crease. In the only over Gayle faced Ashwin, he could not launch an onslaught. Although it did not hurt Delhi much, there will be no margin for error against Mumbai. Most teams have been deploying their spinners in the powerplay, and given Ashwin’s domination against left-handers, he might open the bowling. Not to forget that Ashwin has also dismissed Rohit Sharma in the powerplay in the past.
For Mumbai, they will have to get rid of the Delhi openers. Dhawan’s last three scores read 85, 9, and 95, while Prithvi Shaw’s 106 runs have come at a strike rate of 177. Mumbai may not have spinners who are impactful in the powerplay, but they have the pace duo Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult who have sharp in-swingers in their armoury. It will be interesting to see how Shaw tackles them.