The Indian Premier League moves back to Abu Dhabi on Tuesday when the early pacesetters Delhi Capitals take on the stragglers Sunrisers Hyderabad in a match which puts the top side in the table against the bottom one.
Delhi have won both their matches so they can play with a bit of freedom and look to scoot clear at the top while the Sunrisers have lost both their matches so they really need a change in fortunes here else they will put themselves under serious pressure.
Delhi Capitals
When the tournament began if you’d said one of these teams would be top of the pile and the other one at the bottom you would probably have had the Delhi Capitals in the latter position but it is quite the opposite. We need to acknowledge that they were fortunate to get over the line in their opening match but rather than look back and dwell on that they pushed on and came away with an emphatic victory over a disappointing Chennai Super Kings last time out.
The reason for the bright start for the Capitals is they look to tick every box and unless something goes seriously wrong, even at this stage it is hard to rule them out of being contenders for the title. They have smart batsmen at the top of the order who can set the game up for a very explosive middle order, but if that goes wrong then Shreyas Iyer can rebuild the innings. With the ball they have quality seamers, plenty of good spinners and unlike a lot of teams in this tournament they have good death bowling. It is a great combination.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
It is only a couple of years ago that the Sunrisers Hyderabad were winning this competition but time stops for no team in franchise cricket and now they are looking like an ordinary side. One of the problems they have and I say this all the time when there is an overseas captain, is the balance of their team. It means they only have three overseas players left and when you have stars like Jonny Bairstow and Rashid Khan who have to play it doesn’t leave much room.
Their batting really suffers as a result and if Bairstow and Warner don’t both fill their boots then they are relying on cameos from inconsistent players, players who are either inexperienced at this level or are more bits and pieces all-rounders that they hope come good. The once feared bowling attack for the Sunrisers no longer looks quite as fearsome either as many teams are happy to sit on Rashid Khan knowing they can score at the other end.
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Key Men
If you break the opening partnership up for the Sunrisers Hyderabad you go a long way to winning the game so Kagiso Rabada could be key for the Delhi Capitals. He’ll also come good at the death if the Sunrisers have got away at any point.
David Warner needs to come good and fast for this Sunrisers Hyderabad side. They don’t just need his runs but they need some good field settings to try and negate the hitting ability sides have against one or two of the fringe bowlers they are carrying.
Betting
It is hard to see past the Delhi Capitals at this point. They have every base covered it seams and more importantly their key players are in better form than those of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, or at least more of them are. I think the Capitals were always set up to be the better of the two teams on these grounds and there were signs of that last year too. Only injuries are going to hamper Delhi and their progress this season because they look a really good side.
Delhi have power right the way through their batting line up but I love a batting team that has a bit of glue in there too and that is exactly what they have. They also tick every box with the ball as well with top class seamers full of pace and mite mixed in with quality spinners. You get the feeling Sunrisers are too reliant on three or four players in their side and if two of three of them don’t deliver they will struggle. We’ve seen Sunrisers suffer a batting collapse and then put a poor batting display in after that. Unless that changes dramatically Delhi win this.
Tips
Back Delhi Capitals to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Betfair
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