Hyderabad, who secured their first win of Indian T20 League 2021 against Punjab, will aim to thwart Delhi’s progress in their upcoming encounter at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, April 25.
David Warner’s side have been unfortunate with results this season, having lost their first three games with margins of 10, six and 13 runs, but an inspirational nine-wicket win against Punjab have given Hyderabad a flicker of hope to continue their ascendancy over Delhi.
Delhi, however, will start as favourites in this tie based on their form guide and are well-placed to secure their third win on the trot.
Hyderabad vs Delhi probable playing XI
The return of Kane Williamson against Punjab provided a much-needed boost to Hyderabad’s batting strengths, and David Warner could retain him in his playing XI. The Orange Army is unlikely to alter their combinations on the bowling front, with Rashid Khan and Khaleel Ahmed expected to headline the attack.
Hyderabad predicted XI: David Warner (Captain), Jonny Bairstow (wicket-keeper), Kane Williamson, Virat Singh, Vijay Shankar, Abhishek Sharma, Kedar Jadhav, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Siddarth Kaul
Delhi, like Hyderabad, are tipped to field an unchanged XI for this game, with fans eagerly anticipating a red-hot battle between skipper Rishabh Pant and Hyderabad’s Rashid Khan.
Delhi predicted XI: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Steven Smith, Lalit Yadav, Rishabh Pant (Captain and Wicket-keeper), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Amit Mishra, Avesh Khan
Hyderabad vs Delhi prediction: Who will win?
Going by the odds, Rishabh Pant’s Delhi are placed on the money line to win match 20 of Indian T20 League 2021. Additionally, Delhi have a 33.33 per cent win record at Chepauk, which will host its 10th and final game of the latest campaign. Although acquainted with the pitch conditions, Hyderabad have failed to reap fruits of games with 140-plus scores in Chennai this term, and that could undoubtedly haunt them in Sunday’s meeting against Rishabh Pant’s men.
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Top Tip: Best Batsmen
Kane Williamson had a winning return to the Hyderabad playing XI, but had a comfortable yet quiet outing against Punjab on Wednesday. The New Zealand captain has aggregated 405 runs in 10 meetings with Delhi, and while the odds back David Warner as the top batsman for this tie, Williamson’s batting average against Sunday’s opponents (57.85) makes him the preferred choice to place a bet on.
Delhi’s biggest batting threat will be skipper Rishabh Pant, who commands a batting average and strike rate of 43.77 and 147,56, respectively. Hyderabad also happens to be the opponent against whom the 23-year-old notched his maiden century in the Indian T20 League. Pant will be eager to consolidate his tally of 394 runs from 12 matches.
Top Tip: Best Bowlers
Rashid Khan, Hyderabad’s highest wicket-taker this term with five wickets, has scalped 13 wickets at an economy of 5.43, and is favored as the best bowler for David Warner and Co. The Afghanistan spinner will look to exploit the conditions of Chepauk, where runs have been difficult to come through.
Amit Mishra didn’t have the best of starts to Indian T20 League 2021, going wicketless against Chennai in the opening game and was benched for the subsequent two games. However, the 38-year-old returned with figures of 4/24 against Mumbai, thus making him a bowler Hyderabad must watch out. Mishra has eight wickets against his opponents on Sunday, and is tipped to add to his tally of 10 wickets at Chepauk.
Top Tip: All-rounder and Wicket-keeper
The Hyderabad vs Delhi fixture should be a quality player battle between Vijay Shankar and Marcus Stoinis. The players have a like-for-like role in their teams, but Stoinis stands out as the top all-rounder to consider, based on performances. The Aussie has 866 runs and 29 wickets from 50 appearances and is well-placed for a confident performance with the bat and ball.
As far as wicket-keepers are concerned, Jonny Bairstow seems to have the edge over Rishabh Pant. The Englishman has accounted for 23 dismissals in 25 matches (18 catches, four stumpings and one run-out), while Pant has just three catch dismissals so far.
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Featured photo: AFP / NOAH SEELAM
