12 Jun 2019
The top two in cricket’s Indian Premier League square off on Wednesday, as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) host the Delhi Capitals with plenty on the line.
Both teams have won eight of their 12 matches thus far and both have lost four. Each team has 16 points and Delhi top the table by dint of their Net Run Rate.
Both have already qualified for the 2019 playoffs but under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, the Capitals top the table following their 16-run win over Royal Challengers Ban
galore (RCB) on Sunday. RCB’s eighth defeat of the season means their playoff hopes have been extinguished.
CSK had already booked their place in the IPL playoffs despite suffering a defeat to the Mumbai Indians and they are 4/6 to return to winning ways at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
There are just two games remaining for each team and the top two in the table will host a playoff game, so there is plenty at stake.
CSK’s 46-run defeat to Mumbai could have been predicted, as they missed MS Dhoni, who was struck down with a fever. The mercurial skipper has averaged 94 runs in his eight starts for CSK, but the hope is he will be available for selection in Chennai’s final home game of the league phase. The Genting Casino Indian Premier League Cricket odds have MS Dhoni at 9/2 to be the team’s top run scorer against Delhi.
WATSON BOUNCES BACK?
CSK’s strength is in their batting line-up, despite the batting collapse against Mumbai.
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has not been in brilliant form, but the 37-year-old is still an intimidating presence at the crease and as he showed with a thrilling 96 off 52 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad recently.
Previously, he had laboured to 147 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 112.21 on the slower IPL pitches before his aggressive knock against the Sunrisers.
Watson is 16/5 to be CSK’s top scorer against the Capitals – and if in form, he will relieve the pressure on the middle order which includes MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu.
Influential all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is also expected to return to the side, further boosting the hosts’ chances.
Yet Delhi Capitals come here with plenty of confidence. They are 23/20 to win and extend their streak to five victories in six.
There should be plenty of runs on this notoriously slow Chepauk pitch and the visitors and hosts have alternated wins in their last five meetings, with CSK winning last time.
DHAWAN TO CONTINUE GOOD FORM?
While Iyer has led by example for Delhi, with an average of 28.77 runs in his 10 matches, the slow pitch should not be any detriment to most of the visiting batsmen.
Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant, who are respectively 11/4 and 7/2 to be the Delhi Capitals’ top run-scorer, are certain to be among the runs, but there may be a little value to be had with the 11/4 for Shikhar Dhawan in that same market.
The 33-year-old left-handed opening batsman should be able to withstand the formidable CSK attack and he has scored 56, 54 and 50 runs in his last three outings. This slow track could see him enjoy himself against the spin-heavy attack.
Imran Tahir and Harbhajan Singh might keep things tight early on, though, and Delhi to score under 6.5 runs in the first over might provide a little value for some punters.
To see all the odds on this clash, click here.
