DD-MI megahit on the cards; Royals eye Sunrisers’ eclipse

Mohammad Abdullah, Staff Reporter

Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals are set to lock horns in the blockbuster clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the second match of Sunday’s double-header in Abu Dhabi.

Both the teams are brimming with confidence after a stellar performance in the tournament so far. Delhi and Mumbai are on the first and second spot with ten and eight points respectively.

Delhi defeated Rajasthan Royals comprehensively in their last match for the fifth win from six matches. After posting a total of 184/8, they skittled out Rajasthan for 138. Both the teams will look to tighten their stranglehold on the tournament with a winning performance.

Mumbai Indians pacer James Pattinson said he was relishing playing in the IPL alongside world-class players.

“This is for the first time I am playing in the IPL. Last time I was picked up by Kolkata in 2011 but did not play any game.

“It has been fantastic and Mumbai Indians have welcomed me and looked after me. I am delighted to have played my role and hope to keep winning,” said Pattinson.

“It was tough as we were coming from a lockdown so did not have much training. Luckily, most of the training that I did was with the white ball and it proved to be helpful.

“It feels good to be coming as a replacement for the best T20 bowler and highest IPL wicket taker. It is big shoes to fill in,” he said.

“We have two good white ball bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. It is nice to play a foil to them and help them as much as possible,” he added.

The trio are bowling in tandem and have made a great bowling attack together. Bumrah, Boult and Pattinson have picked up 11, 10 and 9 wickets respectively so far.

“The best thing about the IPL is that it gives you an experience that you cannot get anywhere else. Like you get to open the bowling with someone who plays for another nation.

“I am really relishing bowling along with Bumrah and Boult. They are world-class bowlers. Their confidence rubs off on me. It is still early in the tournament and we have a long way to go,” he added.

Delhi Capitals head scout Vijay Dahiya has been pleased with the performance of his team so far in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League.

“It is a team game. This is what the team is all about. We are not depending on any individual. In every game, someone a different player steps up, and delivers for the team and that’s what the whole quality of any team is about,” he added.

Talking about his team’s next game against the Mumbai Indians, Dahiya believes, to overcome the challenge, his side will stick to their strengths.

“I think it’s going to be a tough game because we are playing back to back matches, and the last two have been the kind of games that have taken a lot out of us.

“Mumbai is a top-class side, there’s no doubt about that. They have won the championship many times, so I’m expecting a good game against them and that’s what you want in this kind of competition – to play against the best,” he added.

In the other match of the day, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Dubai. Hyderabad are at the third with six points in their kitty with three wins from six matches. While Rajasthan are lingering at seven in eight-team league with just four points from the same number of games as that of their opponents.

Rajasthan captain Steve Smith said: “We are playing back-to back matches. We need to adjust quickly. We need to be at our best to beat Hyderabad,” said Smith in a press release issued by the team.

Commenting on their losing streak, he said: “The last four games have not been easy for us. Out bowling and fielding was good but batting needs to click,” he added.