Match 23 is between the Rajasthan Royals and the Delhi Capitals in Sharjah. Let’s look at the teams.
The SWOT for RR
Strengths: With Jos Buttler getting a fifty in RR’s previous match – albeit in a losing cause – the batting seems to be slowly taking some shape. Sanju Samson and Steve Smith have hit fifties in Sharjah. RR’s batting and bowling will have a big boost from the return of Ben Stokes. Lower down the order, Jofra Archer has got quick runs.
Weaknesses: The bowling is an area of grave concern. RR’s star bowler Archer has taken only five wickets so far. Rahul Tewatia and Shreyas Gopal have got four each. Tom Curran got three. Smith hasn’t figured out who among Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi and Ankit Rajpoot should be in the playing XI.
Opportunities: RR return to Sharjah. This is the ground where they’ve recorded multiple victories. That should give confidence to the players. The small boundaries will help big hitters like Buttler, Smith, Samson and Stokes.
Threats: Before the start of the season, there was a buzz that this team might repeat the heroics of 2008. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Their performances look flat. Another loss and the negatives will pile up. Their play-off hopes will also take a beating.
The SWOT for DC
Strengths: DC’s bowling looks pretty strong. Kagiso Rabada leads the bowling charts with 12 wickets. He has been well supported by Anrich Nortje with seven wickets. R Ashwin is a seasoned campaigner and Marcus Stoinis is a powerful all-rounder who can win matches on his own. A huge spin asset like Sandeep Lamichhane has been left on the bench.
Weaknesses: Shikhar Dhawan’s form is a minor concern. Dhawan averages only 25.40 when compared with Shreyas Iyer’s average of 45.25, Prithvi Shaw’s 35.80, Rishabh Pant’s 42.75 and Marcus Stoinis’s 41.00. Dhawan needs to improve his impact on matches.
Opportunities: DC have eight points. A win in this fixture will make them the first team to reach double digits this season. They will also be in pole position for a play-off spot.
Threats: DC are on a winning run and expectations are high. They’ll have a tough challenge against RR who have been exceptional in Sharjah.
Head to head:
Matches played: 20
Rajasthan Royals: 11
Delhi Capitals: 9
Last five matches (most recent first):
Rajasthan Royals: L-L-L-W-W
Delhi Capitals: W-W-L-W-W
Deccan Herald’s Dream XI
Steve Smith, Prithvi Shaw, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Ben Stokes, Axar Patel, Shreyas Gopal, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Kartik Tyagi
Ground conditions
The temperature will be around 29 degrees celsius. The humidity will be about 67%. Gusty winds are expected in the evening.
Team news
DC leg spinner Amit Mishra is out of the IPL with a finger injury. No replacement has been announced yet. Ben Stokes is likely to start in this match. He flew in from New Zealand and was quarantined for six days.
Impact Player for RR
Ben Stokes: There’s a lot of buzz around Stokes’s return to cricket but he could be rusty as he hasn’t played competitive cricket for months. He is a genuine match-winner and makes an impact with the bat, ball and in the field. His presence makes RR a more confident side.
Impact player for DC
Marcus Stoinis: He has become the perfect all-rounder for DC. He bowls economical spells and gets big runs down the order at a brisk pace. Stoinis will need to continue his form and lift the team in tough situations.
How to watch
The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network. Viewers can also catch the action online on Disney+Hotstar. The match begins at 7:30 PM IST.
