IPL 2019, Qualifier 2: One brave change Delhi Capitals should make against Chennai Super Kings

Defying expectations, the Delhi Capitals have done well to book their place in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2019. They will be locking horns with defending champions Chennai Super Kings in Visakhapatnam on Friday. The winner of the match will take on the Mumbai Indians in the final on Sunday in Hyderabad.

Delhi Capitals squeezed through to this stage by edging out the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator, while the Chennai Super Kings were outclassed by Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 1. Chennai have had the upper hand over the Delhi Capitals in this year’s campaign, beating them on both occasions in the league stages. Delhi would need to think out of the box to outsmart CSK captain M.S Dhoni. One bold move that could help Delhi overcome the challenge of the Super Kings is the inclusion of Chris Morris in place of Trent Boult.

Boult was brought back into the team as a replacement for the injured Kagiso Rabada. The South African had been in sensational form this season, picking up 25 wickets from just 12 matches before an injury forced him to return to his country. Boult has been a disappointment this year, picking up just three wickets from four matches. Although he has been decent with the new ball, it’s his bowling in the death overs that has been a cause of concern. Boult was taken to the cleaners in the last encounter against CSK by M.S Dhoni in the final few overs. The stats don’t do any justice to Boult either as he is in the list of top ten bowlers with the worst economy rates in the last four overs of an IPL game.

Morris, on the other hand, is Delhi’s second-highest wicket taker this season with 13 scalps to his name from nine matches. His death over bowling hasn’t been that bad, having picked up 10 wickets in that phase at an economy of 8.7. Add to that, his ability to strike the big blows with the bat in the last few overs. Delhi looked circumspect in the last game with Amit Mishra coming in to bat at number 9.

It would be interesting to see if Ricky Ponting-led Delhi’s team management can muster up the courage to change a winning combination and drop Boult for tonight's game. It would be a wise move if they do.