Two teams which are on different levels of confidence (RR vs DC) lock horns at Sharjah, a ground where most teams fear travelling to. Team Delhi are riding high on confidence with four wins out of five games whereas Team Rajasthan are constantly chopping and changing to achieve some crucial points.
Rajasthan will be heading back to Sharjah for their third and a final game at the venue where they have happy memories of winning two in two matches. After three back-to-back losses, Rajasthan will be hoping that a return to Sharjah gets them back to the winning ways. Delhi will be playing their second match at the venue after managing to win a tight encounter against Kolkata.
The head-to-head battle between these two teams seems in the balance. Rajasthan have the slight edge with eleven wins as compared to nine by Delhi. But Delhi will take positives from the fact that they have won the last three matches against Rajasthan and will be looking to make it four in four.
KEY BATTLES
Jos Butler vs Rishabh Pant
The battle of two extraordinary glovemen. These two will love batting at Sharjah with the flattest wicket and shortest boundaries possible.
Jos Butler’s form will encourage Rajasthan but he’ll need help from the other batters as well. RR vs DC will give us a special matchup, i.e Jos Butler vs R Ashwin. The Delhi spinner has already issued the ‘first and final’ warning of the season and Jos will have to make sure he stays in the crease when Ashwin is bowling.
Rishabh Pant has consistently scored the thirties this season but that massive innings has eluded him so far.
PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson’s best innings in the tournament have come in Sharjah and he has struggled to adapt to different conditions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. He’ll be back at a venue he has loved batting this season.
Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan has found it tough to adjust in the trying conditions of the UAE scoring 127 runs in his five innings thus far. His average of 25.40 is the worst amongst Delhi batsmen who have faced 100 or more balls this season. But he should relish batting against a bowling line-up which has struggled itself at a ground where run making is comparatively easier.
PREDICTED LINE-UPS
Rajasthan: Yashaswi Jaiswal, Jos Butler (WK), Steven Smith (C), Sanju Samson, Mahipal Lomror, Rahul Tewatia, Tom Curran, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Kartik Tyagi, Jaidev Unadkat
Delhi: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje
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