The Delhi Capitals will meet the Chennai Super Kings in the second qualifier to determine who will play the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League final.
The Capitals swept aside the Sunrisers in the eliminator to book their date with the Super Kings. CSK were beaten by Mumbai at the outset of the play-offs, but their log position afforded them a second bite at the cherry.
IPL Qualifier 2
Friday 10 May
ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam
16:30
To Win Match
Chennai Super Kings 82/100
Tie 35/1
Delhi Capitals 21/20
The Capitals only finished below the Super Kings on the log by virtue of net run-rate and their subsequent triumph in the eliminator means they have won more matches in IPL 12 than CSK.
Apart from Kagiso Rabada, who was forced out of the campaign with a back strain, the Capitals haven’t really had a standout performer. Young India batting talents Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant have had their moments, though.
CSK’s own Proteas star Imran Tahir is currently hunting Rabada’s purple cap holding mark of 25 wickets. The spinner took two scalps in the defeat to the Mumbai Indians to move his tally up to 23.
The Super Kings’ middle-order had to bear the brunt of the criticism after the team lost the first qualifier on home turf. Ambati Rayudu and Mahendra Singh Dhoni ended unbeaten, but failed to provide their team with a significant late charge and the target proved reachable for the in-form Mumbai Indians.
CSK started the tournament looking like champions, but after clinching a place in the play-offs before any of their rivals, seem to have taken their feet off the accelerator. Their last win, though, was a thumping one over their Qualifier 2 opponents, whose batting let them down badly. The Capitals also lost the first meeting of the two sides in a final-over thriller back in week one of the tournament.
The Capitals will draw confidence from winning the Eliminator at the same venue that will host the second qualifier.
Vizag’s pitch looks to be one that provides a little bit for everyone, with over 320 runs scored and 16 wickets taken in the 40 overs of the Eliminator.
This match provides another fascinating clash of India’s wicketkeeper-batsmen of the past in Dhoni and his successor-elect, Pant.
Verdict: Delhi Capitals 21/20
The Capitals will stay in the hunt for their first IPL title.
