Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

IPL 2020 Match 34: DC vs CSK Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | DC vs CSK Dream11 Prediction Today | Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

It has not been smooth sailing for both these teams so far in IPL 2020. However, one team has dealt with their challenges better than the other.

Indeed, Delhi Capitals have performed very well to sit in the top two despite all their injury concerns throughout the season. The fact they have batted first in nearly all their matches has suited their style, but one can’t deny the excellent strides they have made despite the injuries. The latest, after Rishabh Pant’s hamstring niggle, was concern over captain Shreyas Iyer’s shoulder. However, reports suggest he will be right to go in this match, which is a huge boost.

Chennai Super Kings, a side which also looks better suited to setting a score, are coming off a crucial win vs SRH. The move to have Sam Curran open the batting paid off, as CSK’s “complete cricketer” starred with both bat and ball. The win meant CSK stayed in touch with the top four, and remarkably, a win today will have them level with the current fourth-placed KKR, who are on eight points. Plenty is at stake.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Prithvi Shaw was man of the match when DC last played CSK (64 off 43 balls). Shaw can cause plenty of damage if he can get through the powerplay. So, his battle with Deepak Chahar will be crucial. Chahar has dismissed Shaw four times in five innings (37 balls, 38 runs).
• His opening partner, Shikhar Dhawan, has struck two consecutive half-centuries (69* and 57). Dhawan is now DC’s second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2020 (258, avg. 36.85). Also, Dhawan has a solid record vs CSK: 22 inns, 676 runs, avg. 35.58, SR 122.91.
• MS Dhoni has the most runs in CSK-DC matches (544, avg. 38.86, SR 140.57). Can he fire today batting at number five?
• Shane Watson has struck 83*, 50, 14 and 42 in his past four games. Watson has a strong overall record vs DC: 17 inns, 495 runs, avg. 35.36, SR 140.63. However, one bowler who he’d like to avoid is Axar Patel, who has dismissed Watson six times in eight T20 innings (44 runs off 43 balls).
• Faf du Plessis has hit just 17, 8 and 0 in his last three games. Is this the match where he returns to form, against a side whom he scored 43 (35) against earlier this season? Also, du Plessis has struck 265 runs in eight innings for CSK vs DC (avg. 33.13).
• Shreyas Iyer (210 runs at 30 vs CSK) will be key to the DC cause. The skipper is DC’s top run-scorer in IPL 2020 (298 runs, avg. 42.57, SR 135.45). Also, Iyer has struck 88* and 22 so far at Sharjah this season.
• Eyes will be on Sam Curran. Likely to open the batting again, Curran struck 31 off 21 balls vs SRH, to go with 1/18 with the ball. So, the big question is how he will handle Kagiso Rabada, who has an incredible 18 wickets in eight games this season.
• Rabada has taken at least two wickets in 13 of his last 15 IPL games. In fact, Rabada needs just one wicket to reach 50 in IPL, and this is his 27th game. Also, KG took 3/26 vs CSK earlier this season.
• Marcus Stoinis could be crucial in DC’s finishing plans today. The all-rounder is striking at 162.18 in IPL 2020.
• Ravindra Jadeja is starting to hit form, and will be key as the pitches start to slow down. In his last four games, Jadeja has hit scores of 50, 21*, 7 and 25*, and has started to find some grip with two wickets to his name.
• Also, Jadeja has 12 wickets in 12 games vs DC, and will be keen to improve on his bad outing against them earlier this season (0/44).
• Dwayne Bravo has 13 wickets in 12 games vs DC, and will be key at the death.
• Ravichandran Ashwin has taken at least one wicket in each of his last four games, including a man-of-the-match performance at Sharjah vs RR (2/22).
• Anrich Nortje is having an excellent tournament, bowling at great speeds of over 150km/h (10 wickets in eight games, including 2/21 vs CSK last time out).

Stats and Facts

• Head-to-head: Matches 22, CSK, 15, DC 7.
• DC (175/3) beat CSK (131/7) with ease earlier this season (Dubai).
• CSK’s run-rate of 7.2 in the powerplay is the worst of any team in IPL 2020. Can Sam Curran continue to improve this?
• In the Capitals’ six wins, they have had six different Player-of-the-Match award winners (Stoinis, Shaw, Iyer, Patel, Ashwin and Nortje).

Possible Playing 11

Delhi Capitals: 1. Prithvi Shaw, 2. Shikhar Dhawan, 3. Ajinkya Rahane, 4. Shreyas Iyer (c), 5. Marcus Stoinis, 6. Alex Carey (wk), 7. Axar Patel, 8. R Ashwin, 9. Kagiso Rabada, 10. Tushar Deshpande, 11. Anrich Nortje

Chennai Super Kings: 1. Faf du Plessis, 2. Sam Curran, 3. Shane Watson, 4. Ambati Rayudu, 5. MS Dhoni (c, wk), 6. Ravindra Jadeja, 7. Dwayne Bravo, 8. Deepak Chahar, 9. Piyush Chawla, 10. Shardul Thakur, 11. Karn Sharma

Sharjah Pitch and Weather Report

The team batting first has won five of seven games at Sharjah in IPL 2020. Also, with both these teams better suited to defending scores, the toss could prove crucial in this one.

The average scores at Sharjah have dipped in recent games, as the pitches have slowed down. After a plethora of 200+ scores earlier in the tournament, there has been no 200+ score in the last three games there.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

Match Prediction

The team that bats first becomes favourite to win this match. Both teams are suited to defending, so a score in the region of 175-180 can be very competitive.

Thanks for reading!