Sunrisers Hyderabad is on the brink of elimination from the tournament, and even a win won’t guarantee their playoff spot. A loss today would make them the third team to be eliminated. Delhi Capitals, led by Axar Patel, started strong but have struggled lately, losing three of their last four matches. To stay in contention, Delhi needs a big win, as the battle is now not just about points but also net run rate.
Delhi’s opening pair, KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis, will be crucial. If they fail to deliver, the team might struggle. SRH’s Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have been in good form, and their performance will be vital. Head has been a thorn in Delhi’s side, and Abhishek has shown promise.
Mitchell Starc has been a problem for both Head and Abhishek in the past. Last season, he dismissed Abhishek in the first over of the final match. When the two teams clashed earlier this season, Starc took five wickets, including crucial ones like Head and Ishan Kishan.
SRH relies heavily on its batsmen, which is both a strength and a weakness. Their bowlers, particularly Pat Cummins and Mohammad Shami, need to step up. Shami has been underwhelming, with an economy rate of 11. Delhi’s middle order, featuring Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, will be crucial in containing SRH’s batsmen.
Head-to-Head Stats
The two teams have played 25 matches, with SRH winning 13 and DC winning 12. SRH’s highest score against DC is 266, while DC’s highest score against SRH is 207.
- Total matches: 25
- SRH wins: 13
- DC wins: 12
- SRH’s highest score against DC: 266
- DC’s highest score against SRH: 207
Current Form
SRH have won three of their last 10 matches, sitting ninth on the points table with six points. DC have won six of their last 10 matches, sitting fifth with 12 points.
The match between SRH and DC will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad at 7:30 PM on May 5.
Probable Playing XIs
SRH: Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kamindu Mendis, Mohmmad Shami, Glishan Ansari
DC: Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel, Viprej Nigram, Dushmantha Chameera, Mukesh Kumar