DC vs SRH Qualifier 2: Rashid Khan is SRH’s leading wicket-taker this season.© BCCI/IPL
Delhi Capitals (DC) opener Shikhar Dhawan has struggled to perform at the level expected, after recently becoming the first batsman to score back-to-back hundreds in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dhawan’s inability to fire nearly cost the Delhi-based franchise a spot in the playoffs. DC who seemed contenders for a top-of-the-table finish during the initial stages had to secure qualification with a tense win against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), following four consecutive defeats. Dhawan’s dismissal for a duck in Qualifier 1 against defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI), saw the Delhi-based franchise subjected to defeat by a margin of 57 runs.
However, what cannot be denied is the batsman’s ability to prove his critics wrong with game-changing performances when it matters the most.
DC will take on SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 2 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, and Dhawan will surely be motivated by the importance of the clash.
A win will help the Delhi-based franchise secure a spot in the final against MI, along with an opportunity for the opener to make amends for his poor show in the earlier match.
However, the 34-year-old will have to first negotiate the guile and variations that SRH spinner Rashid Khan uses to bamboozle batsmen.
Rashid is the highest wicket-taker for his side in the ongoing edition, accounting for 19 wickets in 15 matches at a strike rate of 18.94. The cricketer from Afghanistan has accounted for several important dismissals in IPL 2020 and will be eager to add Dhawan to that list.
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However, the DC opener can be destructive on his day, which makes this contest between two exceptional cricketers one to watch out for.
(Note: All stats courtesy iplt20.com)