DC v SRH: Can Capitals Continue Their Winning Streak Against Struggling Sunrisers?
Preview:
As the IPL 2023 tournament reaches its halfway stage, Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to face each other in a crucial reverse meet-up at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla ground. Both teams are looking for a second wind as they begin the unforgiving second half of the season, with the Capitals enjoying the upper hand going into Saturday’s double-header. However, there is not much separating the two sides, with SRH placed slightly above the hosts at the ninth spot in the standings due to a slightly better net run rate.
Both teams have struggled with their batting, and their fortunes have ebbed and flowed throughout the tournament. Delhi Capitals have managed to snap their five-match losing streak with two wins on the bounce, but they have been guilty of frequent chopping and changing in search of an ideal combination. SRH, too, have struggled to pin down their best XI and have deviated from their first-choice opening combination.
In their previous encounter, the Capitals picked up a second successive win against the same rivals by defending a sub-par 144/9 halfway into the game, courtesy of their strength in spin bowling and a fine captaincy display from David Warner. However, SRH has since lost the services of India all-rounder Washington Sundar due to a season-ending hamstring injury.
At the halfway mark, the match at Feroz Shah Kotla promises to be an exciting encounter. The venue has been favourable for chasing teams, and the captains have preferred chasing so far. As far as the weather is concerned, Delhi has been kind by its summer standards, with temperatures still hovering in the early 30s and a bit of a shower around occasionally. A cloudy day with 20% precipitation chances is forecast for Saturday.
David Warner, who has scored 885 runs at Feroz Shah Kotla, including seven fifties and a hundred in 31 outings, will be a key player for the Capitals. However, his season strike-rate of just 119.53 may be a concern for the side. Meanwhile, Aiden Markram and Rahul Tripathi have the wood on Kuldeep Yadav, making the middle-overs tussle one to watch-out for where the conditions could actually be in the favour of the spinner.
Delhi Capitals are unlikely to make any tweaks to their winning combination, while SRH could look to strengthen their batting with a proper batter/finisher at no. 7 instead of Washington Sundar. Abdul Samad could be the frontrunner to fill in. SRH’s Harry Brook spent his time in the nets stepping out and tonking quite a few of them down the ground, more so against slower bowlers in anticipation of what DC will likely be throwing at him tomorrow.
My Predictions:
Both teams will be looking to secure a win and gain momentum as they head into the business end of the tournament. I predict the SRH may have the upper hand today, our cricket prediction is for the best team to win.
IPL FAQ TIME:
Q: What is the maximum number of overs a bowler can bowl in an IPL match?
A: The general rule is that no bowler can bowl more than 20% of the total overs per innings. Thus, in an IPL match, which has a maximum of 20 overs per innings, each bowler can bowl a maximum of 4 overs. However, some bowlers may bowl less than 4 overs if the captain decides to use more than 5 bowlers in an innings.
Q: Can a team have more than four overseas players in their playing XI in an IPL match?
A: No, a team cannot have more than four overseas players in their playing XI in an IPL match. This is a rule laid down by the BCCI to ensure that the IPL caters to the Indian players and maintains a balance among the franchises. However, there is a new innovation for IPL 2023 called the Impact Player – a substitute who can come in to bat and bowl – who can be an overseas player if there are fewer than four overseas players in a team’s starting XI.
Q: What happens if a match ends in a tie in the IPL?
A: If a match ends in a tie in the IPL, then a Super Over is played to decide the winner. A Super Over is a one-over-per-side eliminator where each team nominates three batsmen and one bowler to play a single over. The team that scores more runs in the Super Over wins the match. If the Super Over also ends in a tie, then another Super Over is played until there is a clear winner.
