Delhi Capitals will need to come out all guns blazing in a do-or-die clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
A win in this last group stage match will guarantee Capitals a playoff spot.
The side will go level on 16 points with Royal Challengers Bangalore, but Capitals’ superior net run rate (+0.255 to Royal Challengers’ -0.253) will prove decisive. If Capitals lose, Faf du Plessis’ men will grab a playoff spot.
Two wins on the trot
Capitals enter this crucial fixture with two wins on the trot. Australian Mitchell Marsh has fired with bat and ball, while Shardul Thakur picked up the Player-of-the-Match award for his four-wicket haul in the previous outing, against Punjab Kings.
Opening batter David Warner may have fallen for a duck against Kings, but as the team’s highest run-scorer this season, the Australian remains a big threat.
Among the bowlers, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav (20 wickets) has been impressive, as has left-arm speedster Khaleel Ahmed (16).
Nothing at stake
Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, is out of contention. It slipped to a three-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday despite a 95-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan.
With its season going nowhere, Mumbai does not have anything at stake. The RCB team and fanbase, however, will cheer its every move on Saturday.
