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Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, the least-performing teams of IPL 2023, face-off for the second time in five days in what could well decide the last team among the also-rans.
Woefully out of form at the halfway stage of the league, these teams have four points after losing five times. The momentum is with the Capitals which eyes a hat-trick of wins. Sunrisers will be looking to escape a fourth loss on the bounce and with it, swapping places with Capitals at the bottom of the table.
After a narrow seven-run victory in a low-scoring match against Sunrisers, Capitals have reasons to be optimistic. However, their batting woes remain. The loss of at least two wickets in the Powerplay continues to be a major worry. Repeatedly, skipper David Warner appears as the only batter who has put a price on his wicket.
The bowling looks a shade better with Ishant Sharma and spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav raising their game. But the overall inconsistency continues to be a worry.
Sunrisers, hit by the unavailability of Washington Sundar for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury, too, will be looking at its batters to come good. In the last two defeats, the team managed only 134 and 137.
The bowlers are also low on confidence. Though Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the most economical among the seven bowlers seen against the Capitals, he did not get any support from the rest. Pacers like Marco Jansen, T. Natarajan and Umran Malik are struggling for form.
No wonder, skipper Aiden Markram appears as helpless as Warner.
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