Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Delhi Daredevils in the final game of the group stage in a game that is the definition of a dead-rubber. By the time, the two sides play each other, the playoff spots would have been decided and neither side can move from their current position in the table.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will be without AB de Villiers who has gone back home to prepare ahead of the ODI series against England and the Champions Trophy that follows it. RCB are assured of the wooden spoon and have won just two matches in this year’s tournament.
Virat Kohli will lead a side that has surprisingly struggled with the bat than the ball and haven’t come to terms with the change in conditions at home. Although a win won’t lift them off the bottom spot, Kohli will want to finish with a victory that will extend their overall win record against DD to 13-6.
For Delhi Daredevils, it has been a case of inconsistency that has stopped them from claiming a playoff spot. Although they are the only team in this year’s IPL who have scored in excess of 195 three times, they are also the only team to have been bowled out under 70 twice.
The likes of Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, and Rishabh Pant have been impressive but they have failed to consistently get going. As a result, despite their bowling firepower, they have been unable to win games on the bounce and secure their playoff spot.
Although RCB have the more experienced batting line-up, it is DD who have had the better returns in IPL 2017 and it will be intriguing to see which batting line-up comes out on top as the two sides meet in Delhi for the final game of the group stages of IPL 2017.
Match date: 14-04-2017Match time: 2000 hours (IST)Venue: Ferozshah Kotla, Delhi
If Delhi Daredevils bat first
Predicted score: 180+
Sanju Samson has undoubtedly been DD’s most consistent batsmen this year and the recent returns of Karun Nair and Shreyas Iyer coupled with the explosive batting of Rishabh Pant means Zaheer Khan’s side have an in-form core of Indian batsmen in the top-order.
After struggling for most of the season, Karun Nair finally got going in the last match and he will be looking to continue that run against RCB, whose bowling has been lackluster as their stars have failed to deliver.
Despite scoring in excess of 300 runs, Pant has been inconsistent throughout the season, either giving them a great platform or getting out early. That will be something that he will look to correct against a bowling line-up who don’t have the means to trouble him.
Samson and Iyer have shown that classical technique is no barrier to scoring quickly in T20s and if the top-order get going then RCB could have a mountain to chase, especially given the dimensions of the ground at Delhi.
RCB’s bowling attack has been largely toothless despite the fact that their two leg spinners, Samuel Badree and Yuzvendra Chahal have been in great form throughout the IPL and with the game at Delhi, RCB will need their pacers to get into the act if they want to chase a reasonable total.
If Royal Challengers Bangalore bat first
Predicted score: 160+
With AB de Villiers unavailable for selection, Chris Gayle in terrible form and Shane Watson admitting that this season is his worst in the history of the IPL, Virat Kohli has plenty of concerns as far as the batting department is concerned.
Kohli himself hasn’t been in great form in this year’s tournament but has still managed to be amongst the runs and he will need to fire along with Travis Head, who has shown flickers of being in-form if RCB are put on a big total to challenge the explosive DD batting line-up.
Despite their poor form, at least one of Gayle or Watson are likely to play and probably open the innings as well. Whoever it is, they will need to get RCB off to a good start and set the platform for Kedar Jadhav, who has been one of the few bright sparks for RCB in IPL 2017.
Even on a surface that is known to assist the batsmen and on a small ground similar to the one RCB play at home, putting a big total on the board won’t be easy. And a lot of that has to do with DD’s bowling line-up, which despite the absence of Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada is one of the best in the tournament.
In Pat Cummins, Mohammad Shami and Zaheer Khan, they have a pace attack that ticks all the boxes and can be lethal in any conditions against any batting line-up as they have the perfect mix of pace, precision, and variety.
Amit Mishra and Shahbaz Nadeem are both likely to play and although the dimensions of the ground are not in their favor, they add variety to the attack and have the experience to come out on top.
Predicted winners: Delhi Daredevils
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