Gulf News experts joined hands with Inayath Shah and Maaz Ahmad, avid fans of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals, respectively, to take you through an easy win for Delhi in their IPL 2021 league match in Dubai.
View the scorecard here
Match summary: Delhi Capitals demolish Sunrisers Hyderabad
Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor
Delhi Capitals unleashed the express pace of Anrich Nortje (2-12) and Kagiso Rabada (3-37), which the Sunrisers Hyderabad found too hot to handle. After the loss of David Warner to the third ball of the match at Dubai on Wednesday, Hyderabad toiled to post 134/9 in 20 overs. Delhi batsmen made light of the chase and won by eight wickets
Electing to bat earlier, Hyderabad struggled to score at a steady pace after the fall of Warner. Skipper Kane Williamson (18 off 26 balls) survived two dropped catches to post two partnerships with Wriddhiman Saha (18 off 17) and Manish Pandey (17 off 16). Some late-order blows by Abdul Samad (28 of 21) and Rashid (22 of 19) lent some respectability to the score
A target of 135 was always well within Delhi’s sights. Prithvi Shaw fell cheaply but Shikhar Dhawan (42 off 37) and Shreyas Iyer put on 52 runs for the second wicket. Pant (35 of 21) and Iyer (47 of 41) ensured there were no further alarm with an unbroken stand of 67.
Mid-match summary: Delhi Capitals’ Nortje and Rabada wreck Sunrisers Hyderabad
Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor
David Warner fell to the third ball of the match. That wasn’t a good omen for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who are without Jonny Bairstow anyway. They struggled against the Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2021 game in Dubai on Wednesday to post 134/9 in 20 overs.
Skipper Kane Williamson (18 off 26 balls) benefitted from two dropped catches but could not cash in on his good fortune. But he did manage two partnerships with Wriddiman Saha (18 off 17) and Manish Pandey (17 off 16). Abdul Samad (28 of 21) and Rashid (22 of 19) lent some respectability to the score.
Anrich Nortje, who bowled at over 145 kmph, and Kagiso Rabada troubled the batsmen consistently with their express pace and Hyderabad at no time looked like gaining control.
A target of 135 is well within Delhi’s sights. Hyderabad will need more than just early wickets to turn this match around.
Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor
Delhi Capitals will attempt to power towards their third consecutive playoffs in the Indian Premier League when they take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium today.
The fortunes of the teams cannot be starker. While Delhi are in the second spot with 12 points on the strength of six wins from eight matches in the Indian leg, Hyderabad are in the basement with only two points - having lost all but one of their seven matches.
Delhi will be buoyed by the return of Shreyas Iyer and that will free up one overseas slot. An overseas batsman could make way for pacemen Anrich Nortje, who bowled exceptionally well in the UAE last year.
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Hyderabad’s struggles were exemplified by the poor form of David Warner, who was stripped of the captaincy and lost his place in the team. New captain Kane Williamson has more troubles. Jonny Bairstow, one of their top scorers, had dropped out of the UAE leg.
This morning, more bad news came when T. Natarajan, who returned from an injury lay-off, tested positive for COVID-19. Six others were placed in isolation, which means Hyderabad would be fielding a depleted side.
So, Delhi are ideally placed to pick up full points and vault to the top of the points table.
