Last Updated on 3 months by Charbel Coorey

IPL 2020 Match 51: DC vs MI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | DC vs MI Dream11 Prediction Today | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

The weather is cooling down in the UAE, but the heat is growing on Delhi Capitals. In a captivating playoffs race, where only CSK have made a new piece of history, DC is at risk of missing the playoffs, merely two weeks after a top four spot looked all-but-set.

So, the key for Shreyas Iyer’s men is no panic. While their all-round game has gone off the boil in the last two games, they have the chance to make things right here. One win out of their last two games will guarantee a playoffs berth, and just like how a penultimate over in a run-chase is crucial, DC’s penultimate league stage game is vital to ensure there isn’t too much pressure on them in their final game against RCB during the week.

The great Mumbai Indians have confirmed their passage into the playoffs, which highlights just how good they have been in IPL 2020. Even better, a top two spot is all-but-confirmed thanks to their magnificent net run rate. However, a franchise that prides itself on consistency and high-performance will be out to continue the momentum, as any dip in form is never ideal so close to the playoffs. Here, they have the chance to heap further worry on their opponents, which can provide another warning shot to the other franchises that they will be very hard to beat once again.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Quinton de Kock is coming off two low scores (6 and 18) after an incredible run of form (67, 23, 53, 78*, 53 and 46*). de Kock struck a half-century against DC earlier this season – can he do it again?
• Shikhar Dhawan struck four 50+ scores in a row, including two centuries, before a couple of low scores highlighted just how much DC have relied on him in recent times. Dhawan will be key against MI – a side he averages a very good 45.81 in 21 games against.
• Do DC bring Prithvi Shaw back or persist with the out-of-form Ajinkya Rahane? Rahane has scored just 51 runs in five innings this season, but DC could persist with him given his good career record vs MI: 18 inns, 591 runs, avg. 36.94, SR 124.68.
• Did India miss a trick by not picking Suryakumar Yadav in their T20I squad? Perhaps. The MI number three is enjoying a superb season, with 362 runs in 11 innings at an average of 40.22 and SR of 155.36. This includes a 32-ball 53 against DC earlier in IPL 2020.
• If Rohit Sharma is still out, can Ishan Kishan produce the goods like Rohit usually does vs DC? Rohit has the most runs in MI-DC matches (565), but Kishan has proven to be a handy replacement at the top so far (scores of 68*, 37 and 25 in last three innings).
• Shreyas Iyer sits among the top 10 highest run-scorers in IPL 2020 (389, avg. 35.36). However, one feels the DC skipper hasn’t quite hit his best form. He struck 42 (33) vs MI earlier this season, so can he continue to improve his overall record against them? (10 inns, 224 runs, avg. 24.89, SR 120.43).
• Rishabh Pant has also been working hard to find his best form, but it hasn’t come yet. The dimunitive left-hander is striking at just 115 so far in his nine matches. But, his record vs MI is good – can he deliver today? (7 inns, 219 runs, avg. 36.50, SR 168.46).
• The Hardik Pandya & Kieron Pollard factors separate MI from other teams. Just six days ago, Hardik smashed 52 off his last 12 balls vs the Royals. Pollard is striking at 200 in IPL 2020, and has been dismissed just twice.
• Interestingly, though, it is Krunal Pandya who has the superior batting record vs DC out of the Pandya brothers. Krunal has hit 235 runs vs DC in eight matches at an average of 39.17 and SR 179.39. Hardik, on the other hand, has hit just 121 in 10 knocks at an average of 15.13.
• Also, Krunal took 2/26 vs DC earlier this season.
• Strap yourselves in for the battle between two of IPL 2020’s leading wicket-takers. Kagiso Rabada still leads with 23, despite going wicketless last match (first time in 25 IPL matches). Rabada took 2/28 vs MI earlier this season. Jasprit Bumrah is not far behind on 20, with the Indian seamer coming off 3/14 vs RCB, part of eight wickets in his last four games.
• Anrich Nortje has taken seven wickets in his past four games, part of 15 wickets in 11 matches in IPL 2020.
• Trent Boult (17 wickets) is also enjoying an excellent tournament. He will be key against DC’s out-of-form top order.
• Rahul Chahar will be key in this day game on what could be a slowish Dubai pitch. Can he outplay R Ashwin and Axar Patel?

Stats and Facts

• Matches 25, DC 12, MI 13.
• Mumbai Indians chased down Delhi Capital’s 162/4 with two balls to spare earlier in IPL 2020.
• Ishan Kishan strikes at 140+ vs both spinners and pacers in IPL 2020. Only four other players are in the same boat.
• R Ashwin has dismissed Quinton de Kock three times in four meetings. So, DC could look at opening the bowling with him.
• If DC lose this match, they will sit just two points ahead of KKR and KXIP with a game remaining. Also, their net run rate is dropping rapidly (now sitting at +0.03). If SRH then beats RCB later today, DC will be sitting just two points ahead of SRH with an inferior net run rate.

Possible Playing 11

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

Mumbai Indians: 1. Ishan Kishan, 2. Quinton de Kock (wk), 3. Suryakumar Yadav, 4. Saurabh Tiwary, 5. Hardik Pandya, 6. Kieron Pollard (c), 7. Krunal Pandya, 8. James Pattinson, 9. Rahul Chahar, 10. Trent Boult, 11. Jasprit Bumrah

Dubai Pitch and Weather Report

The last two games at Dubai have had high scores. Four days ago, SRH smashed 219/2 vs DC, before CSK chased down 173 vs KKR. However, players have struggled to time the ball more in day games at Dubai, which was the case last weekend as RCB laboured their way to 145 vs CSK.

The chasing team has won six of the last eight matches at Dubai, but setting a score could be the way to go today given dew won’t be a factor. Also, DC have had their chasing difficulties in IPL 2020, winning just one out of the four games they have been asked to chase.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

Match Prediction

If there is ever a game that DC will produce the goods, it is this one. Their form has wavered off, but they have the talent to rediscover it here. Perhaps their best chance is setting a score then defending it. But, either way, their top order has to produce more than they did in the past two games.

Thanks for reading!