IPL 2021: Match 46 – Strongest Delhi Capitals (DC) Predicted Playing XI against Mumbai Indians

Delhi Capitals will battle it out against Mumbai Indians in the Match 46 of the Indian Premier League. DC had a splendid run in the first half of the IPL and continued their rich vein of form in the UAE leg as well. The team registered three consecutive wins before Kolkata Knight Riders broke their winning streak in the previous match.

KKR’s bowlers ran through DC’s batting lineup as they scalped frequent wickets. Delhi was in a spot of bother and could manage just 127 runs at the end of the 20 overs. However, the team put up a good fight while defending the low total.

KKR was reduced to 96-5 in the 15^th over when Avesh Khan struck with the wicket of Dinesh Karthik. However, a cameo by Sunil Narine followed by the finishing touch by Nitish Rana led KKR to victory by three wickets. Delhi is placed in the second position of the points table and will look forward to securing a win in this match and get those two points which would confirm their spot in the play-offs.

Here’s the Delhi Capitals Predicted XI for the DC vs MI Match:

Openers- Shikhar Dhawan and Steve Smith

Shikhar Dhawan’s contribution will be pivotal for Delhi going ahead in the tournament. The southpaw has scored 454 runs at a healthy average of 45.40 in this season so far. He is currently the highest run-getter of the tournament and the team will pin hopes on him to put up a belligerent show with the willow.

Dhawan has struggled a tad bit in the last two matches. However, he will aim to get back to his scoring ways. Steve Smith, on the other hand, replaced injured Prithvi Shaw for the match against KKR. If Shaw hasn’t recovered completely, Smith is likely to play this game as well. In the previous game, he added 39 runs to the team’s account.

Middle-order – Shimron Hetmyer, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant

Delhi has considerable belief and strength in its middle order. Shimron Hetmyer is a good timer of the ball and can change the fortunes of the game with his hard-hitting abilities. Shreyas Iyer has made his comeback from the injury in style and has looked in good form.

Though the middle-order though crumbled in the previous game, they will be determined to perform for the side. Skipper Rishabh Pant has been one of the most important links of Delhi’s chain. In the last match, he held the fort of the side by adding valuable 39 runs to the team’s account amidst a crunch situation.

All-rounders – Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav

Axar Patel has the prowess to chime in with important breakthroughs for the team. He can also hit those big shots and score quick runs. Lalit Yadav, on the other hand, made it to the cut replacing Marcus Stoinis who picked up a left hamstring injury while bowling.

Yadav provided the team with the crucial wicket of Venkatesh Iyer in the last game. Iyer had impressed everybody with the steady starts he provided to the team and his wicket was an important one for DC. Yadav bowled a good length ball on the middle and off stump, which the batter completely missed.

Bowlers- Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan

In what was a low-scoring match against KKR, Delhi bowlers put up a strong fight to defend it. Avesh Khan proved lethal with the ball as he clinched three wickets in the match. He brought up a change in pace and sent back Smith. Later, the speedster picked up the wickets of Dinesh Karthik and Tim Southee.

Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje also opened their accounts securing one wicket each. DC’s bowlers have all the potential to pose threat to the opposition and are expected to keep their good form going.