IPL 2019, Qualifier 2, CSK vs DC, Preview: "Experience vs Exuberance" battle to decide who goes Hyderabad and who goes home

The Delhi Capitals have churned out a win from the jaws of defeat against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator.

Published - 09 May 2019, 22:04 IST | Updated - 09 May 2019, 22:04 IST

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It really is the best way to sum up these teams in words – Chennai Super Kings have been a semblance of what experience can achieve in cricket whilst the Delhi Capitals’ investment on young talents in the last three years has finally paid off brilliantly. It really is tough for neutrals to pick which facet will reign supreme on the day, but one thing is certain, Indian cricket lovers would thoroughly enjoy this battle.

The Delhi Capitals have churned out a win from the jaws of defeat against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator. Rishabh Pant had a mountain to climb on a track which barely gave any assistance to the batsmen with the soft ball. But he managed to deliver a brilliant knockout punch to the Orange Army and saw his team reach the Qualifier 2.

Delhi have never gone beyond this stage in the IPL. Their opponents though are very well used to reaching the finals, having reached 7 times in their 9 seasons of existence (excluding this season). Chennai will relish playing on the slow Vizag track and the experience of Imran Tahir and Harbhajan Singh could be very significant for them this season.

Playing Combinations

Chennai Super Kings

No side has been more consistent with their playing XI than the Chennai Super Kings, who will once again go unchanged. Ambati Rayudu got among the runs, much to the delight of their fans in the first Qualifier. Murali Vijay might get to open, but he’s most likely to bat in the middle order. Their spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Imran Tahir and Harbhajan Singh will be pivotal on this track and we might even see Suresh Raina get a couple of overs.

Predicted XI

Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (C & wk), Murali Vijay, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir.

Delhi Capitals

Keemo Paul bowled a fantastic final over and finished the game with a boundary for the Capitals, which earns him a spot again in this game. Amit Mishra and Axar Patel gave the Sunrisers a horror time during their spells and will pose a huge challenge to the Chennai batsmen. Ishant Sharma and Trent Boult didn’t have a great game, but their experiences will be necessary in the bowling department. Prithvi Shaw and Pant getting among the runs in such a crucial game has lifted the spirits of their batting unit big time.

Predicted XI

Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer (C), Rishabh Pant (wk), Colin Munro, Sherfane Rutherford, Keemo Paul, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Trent Boult, Ishant Sharma.

Toss Update: CSK won the toss and opted to bowl

PLAYING-XI-TEMPLATE-CSKvDC

Focus will be on

Imran Tahir (Chennai Super Kings)

One of the cult superheroes of the shortest format, Imran Tahir has been outstanding for Chennai thus far. The leg-spinner is putting in all his experience into the picture and has played a crucial role in getting the Super Kings to this stage. He is also chasing the purple cap this season and is highly likely to get there if they reach the finals, with his South African countrymate and the current purple cap holder Rabada already ruled out.

Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals)

With every passing knock, Rishabh Pant is proving himself to be a huge miss in the World Cup squad. Although it is highly unlikely for him to get into the squad right now, he can still satisfy himself to a large extent by helping his team win their first ever trophy. The Capitals have been magnificent this season and although Pant has not been very consistent, he has stepped up whenever it mattered the most.