The State of Play
Mumbai Indians were the only team below Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2024 table when the teams met on April 7 and, while the fortunes of both have improved since then, they each remain in the bottom half of the table, with more defeats than wins.
DC have won three of their four matches since that showdown, including a nerve-shredding four-run win over Gujarat Titans on Wednesday, when Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel both passed 50 to help their side move sixth and in contention for a play-off place.
Pant’s 88 off 43 deliveries included five fours and eight sixes, representing another memorable day for the wicket-keeper following his comeback from a long-term knee injury he sustained in a car accident.
“Each and every day, I feel better,” said Pant, whose 342 runs put him third in the individual standings. “I give my 100%. Every hour, I just love being on the field.”
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Jasprit Bumrah has taken 13 wickets for MI this season but the masterful pacer had as little joy as his team in a nine-wicket thrashing against Rajasthan Royals on Monday.
The forgettable start to the second half of the Indians’ league season means they cannot afford any more defeats if they are to extend their campaign.
Still in awe of that knock (& shot) 🤌
Take a bow, Nehal 💪💙#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #RRvMI pic.twitter.com/sBPcbZcPbL
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 22, 2024
“We have been in such a situation in previous seasons,” said Nehal Wadhera, whose knock of 49 put him only behind Tilak Varma’s 65 as MI posted 179 in their defeat in Jaipur.
“We have upped our game from there and qualified, so we are optimistic – even right now. We will continue the process we are following and win the games for the team.”
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Expected line-ups
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Axar Patel, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (c, wk), Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Mukesh Kumar, Khalil Ahmed
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Mohammad Nabi, Nehal Wadhera, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Gerald Coetzee, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah
The Afghan powerhouse is now a part of DC 💙💪🏼
Here’s welcoming @GbNaib who joins DC as a replacement for Mitch Marsh, who has been ruled out of #IPL2024. pic.twitter.com/1CwbCnuWKz
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 25, 2024
How to watch
Sky have the rights to show the IPL to UK viewers in 2024 and will broadcast every game live. Saturday’s match will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.50am BST.
In India, the games can be streamed on the Jio Cinema app and website. They are also available across the Star Sports Network.
Prediction
Both teams surpassed 200 when MI won this fixture by 29 runs on April 7, and Mark Boucher’s side can be backed to repeat the trick in a match carrying the imperative on them to win.
The likes of Varma, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav should help them reach a commanding score, while Bumrah and Gerald Coetzee – who has 12 wickets – are formidable bowlers. Pant’s presence means DC cannot be discounted, though – especially if Jake Fraser-McGurk can find the form with which he has eclipsed 50 in two of their last four matches.
