FANTASY
Follow UsDelhi Capitals will to become the second team to qualify for the IPL 2021 playoffs when they face off against defending champions Mumbai Indians at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday. After losing their previous match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Capitals will look to go on level points with Chennai Super Kings by beating MI, who snapped a three-match losing streak against Punjab Kings. The holders need a win in order to keep their top four hopes alive.
IPL head-to-head
Overall matches: 29 | MI - 16 wins | DC - 13 wins
Last five matches: MI - 4 wins | DC - 1 win
Suggested team
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.
Ground details
Sharjah has stood out among all the three venues in the second leg. With slow surfaces on the offer, batting has proven to be a difficult job as the likes of SRH, KKR, CSK have all struggled to chase a target below 140. CSK fared better than most other teams as they looked comfortable chasing 135 for major part before losing a flurry of wickets at the end before getting over the line. Bowlers who can exploit the bouncy patches of the pitch are going to succeed either it is spin or pace as taking pace off the ball is a necessary trait. It is good to go with two all-rounders and three frontline pacers in your team.
Captain
Kieron Pollard finding form was important for Mumbai all season as he can decimate biggest of targets with relative ease. After a long wait, he finally found his footing in the second leg when he claimed 2-8 and scored 15 runs off 7 balls in a six-wicket win against Punjab Kings that snapped MI's losing streak. They will bank on him during crucial moments against DC who are vying for a top spot.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Pollard could score 15-23 runs and pick 2-3 wickets in this match.
X-Factors
Anrich Nortje has been pivotal to DC's continued domination in the second leg as he claimed 5 wickets from 3 matches. He possesses economy of 4.4 which is mighty impressive for a pacer bowling on flat tracks in the UAE.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Nortje could pick 2-3 wickets in this match.
Jasprit Bumrah has looked off-color for a couple of games in which Mumbai performed poorly, but came back brilliantly in the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings with 5 wickets in total. No matter the match situation, the pacer is a threat to the opposition.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Bumrah could pick 2-3 wickets in this match.
Shreyas Iyer has returned to the fold from injury and has batted brilliantly in UAE. His consistent performances at no.3 has allowed openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw to play fearless cricket which has been key to their battle at the top of the table.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Iyer could score 21-31 runs in this match.