It is the last league game of the 2021 Indian Premier League, and Dubai International Cricket Stadium will host a clash between two teams who have been the most consistent; the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Delhi Capitals. RCB are practically out of the race for a top-two finish, but they will be looking to build on good winning momentum going into the playoffs. DC, on the other hand, have been dominating this IPL and will go into this match as the table-toppers.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
After three consecutive wins, the Royal Challengers stumbled against the Sunrisers, failing to finish off the chase and losing by four runs. Glenn Maxwell, who scored the fifties in all their three previous wins, was amongst runs even in the last game, and RCB would hope that their number four continues his rich form. Devdutt Padikkal, who is RCB’s second-highest run-scorer this year, has looked good and provided a steady start to the team and has often laid a good foundation for the middle-order.
Kyle Jamieson has come back from injury and RCB would want their tall all-rounder to regain match fitness ahead of their Eliminator game. RCB might even look at giving Tim David another game in place of Dan Christian, who has not managed to score more than a single in the four innings that he has played so far.
Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals have been the best team so far, and they’ve played in a manner that a dominant team is expected to. The strong opening pair of Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan will once again be expected to give the Capitals a quick, solid start for their dangerous middle-order to capitalize on it. With Shimron Hetmyer back to scoring runs, the Capitals’ middle-order looks more settled and dangerous, despite the absence of Marcus Stoinis in the side.
The main reason behind the Capitals’ surge has been their lethal fast bowling stock. The trio of Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan, and Kagiso Rabada make this bowling attack one of the fastest bowling attacks in this year’s IPL, certainly the most fearsome and penetrative. The trio has been superbly supported by Axar Patel, who has picked up 14 wickets at an economy rate of just 6.05 and was also named the ‘Player of the Match’ in the last two games.
Probable Playing XI
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Devudtt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (C), KS Bharath, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Tim David, Shahbaz Ahmed, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), R. Patel, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, R. Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan and Anrich Nortje.