IPL 2022: Predicting the 3 highest wicket-takers in the MI v DC match

A mouth-watering contest lies ahead tonight at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, with the penultimate game of the league phase of IPL 2022 pitting Mumbai Indians (MI) up against Delhi Capitals (DC).

The fate of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) too, hinges on this contest.

A win for DC would see them qualify for the playoffs, while an MI victory would clear the route for RCB to clinch the final playoff spot.

A lot is at stake tonight in the reverse-fixture between the Capitals and Mumbai, with the former having won the initial rubber earlier this season by four wickets.

Both teams boast bona fide match-winners across departments, meaning that unlike what the points table might suggest, this won't be a foregone conclusion by any stretch.

And of course, a lot will boil down to the proverbial handling of nerves, particularly as far as the Capitals go. On that note, we try predicting the three highest wicket-takers in tonight's IPL 2022 clash between MI and DC.

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#1 Shardul Thakur - Player of the Match in DC's last win

Shardul Thakur has struggled for large swathes of IPL 2022. However, he is coming off a Player of the Match-winning spell against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), against whom he registered his best IPL figures of 4/36.

At the post-match presentation, Thakur mentioned that he likes stepping up during crunch moments. Given that tonight is arguably DC's biggest game of the season thus far, they will need 'Lord' Thakur to step up to the plate yet again.

The last game at the Wankhede Stadium between RCB and Gujarat Titans (GT) saw the surface wear a dry nature to it. If it were to remain similar tonight, it should aid Thakur's cutters, which he usually digs into the surface.

Don't be surprised then, should Thakur come out of tonight's contest with a couple or more wickets under his belt.

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#2 Daniel Sams - MI's joint-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2022

From being dropped from the playing XI after a Pat Cummins onslaught to turning in a couple of match-winning performances, IPL 2022 has seen Daniel Sams chalk up a memorable redemption arc.

The Aussie seamer has accounted for 12 wickets thus far - the joint-highest of the tournament for Mumbai alongside Jasprit Bumrah.

What Sams has done well since his return to the side is stick to his strengths. While he has got the new ball to move around, he has also used his slower deliveries to great effect post the Powerplay.

What has stood out amidst it all, though, is the control he has managed to maintain over his lengths.

Tonight, Sams will be up against the side he made his IPL debut for. He could have a big say against his fellow countrymen David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, two of DC's batting lynchpins.

Expect the left-armer to bow out of IPL 2022 on a high given his recent wicket-taking form.

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#3 Kuldeep Yadav

Another success story in IPL 2022, Kuldeep Yadav has enjoyed a fruitful campaign for DC.

While he is the side's leading wicket-taker this season, he has also masked the hot-and-cold form that the likes of Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel have shown at different points in the tournament.

It all began against MI too, with Kuldeep prizing out three scalps in the Capitals' tournament opener. Should he turn in a similar performance tonight, he could well cap off a poetic end to the league phase, while also vaulting DC into the playoffs.

That said, the shorter boundary dimensions at the Wankhede Stadium will be a challenge to contend with. Kuldeep, however, will be high on confidence, having looked next to unplayable against PBKS a few nights ago.

A similar display tonight cannot be ruled out, more so with a tiring Wankhede pitch expected to aid his cause.