IPL 9, Match 42 Preview: Chance for Sunrisers to seal playoffs berth

It would be a contest between an in-form team and a team going backwards in their campaign when Sunrisers Hyderabad host the Delhi Daredevils in Hyderabad. The recent performances are completely contrasting. While the Sunrisers side will enter the game with four back to back wins, Daredevils who have had a mixed tournament so far, will be coming in with two successive defeats to the low-lying teams. For SRH, it would be an opportunity to seal their spot at the top of the points table with a thumping win over DD. Everything seems to be sorted out for them to a large extent. Delhi would want to bring their campaign back on track by putting an impressive show against a mighty looking side. It will not only help them jump to the second spot in the points table but will also boost their morale.

Sunrisers Hyderabad:

Sunrisers Hyderabad has looked flawless. Everything seems to be falling in places for the team as of now. They also have some chinks in their armour like most of the teams but the positives overshadow the flaws. David Warner, their skipper, is one of the leading run-scorers in the tournament. He has been in tremendous form and has carried the batting responsibility of the team almost single-handedly. Shikhar Dhawan has also struck form to make things more consolidated at the top. After a poor start to the tournament, Dhawan now sits at the seventh position in the highest run-getter charts with 343 runs in 10 games including 3 half-centuries. The middle order though seems to be bit inconsistent but has made efforts to contribute on most occasions. A couple of cameos from Yuvraj Singh have shown glimpses of what the southpaw is capable of. Bowling has been the biggest strength for SRH. The pace dominating bowling attack comprising of Ashish Nehra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Barinder Sran and the wily Mustafizur Rahman have made life very difficult for the best of the oppositions.

Delhi Daredevils:

Delhi Daredevils had nothing extremely wrong in the past two losses. It was a simple case where the opposition managed to outclass them in all departments. They lost their winning momentum due to over-experimentation with the team line-up. But, they decided to stop using such methods since the last game, sticking to the strongest possible lineup they can combine together. Two of their best all-rounder Chris Morris and Carlos Brathwaite are together again. Batting wise, top order batsmen Quinton de Kock, Sanju Samson and Karun Nair seem to be in good form. Rishab Pant was exceptional in the single inning he opened and DD should let the youngster open with de Kock. Skipper Zaheer Khan hasn’t looked like he’s retired. He swings the new ball and his death bowling has been spot on as well. He has a perfect partner in Mohammad Shami. Amit Mishra and Shahbaz Nadeem can prove to be equally lethal if they get going.

Probable XI-

Sunrisers Hyderabad:

David Warner (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson, Yuvraj Singh, Moises Henriques, Deepak Hooda, Naman Ojha (wk), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Barinder Sran, Ashish Nehra, Mustafizur Rahman

Delhi Daredevils:

Quinton de Kock (wk), Sanju Samson, Karun Nair, Sam Billings, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Morris, Rishab Pant, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Zaheer Khan (C), Shahbaz Nadeem 

StAttack:

1. David Warner needs 6 runs to complete 3000 IPL runs.

2. Ashish Nehra needs 3 wickets to become the first Indian pacer to complete 100 IPL wickets.