Indian T20 League, Qualifier 2: It’s all or nothing for Delhi and Hyderabad

As per the points table, it will be second versus third when Delhi take on Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 at the Shiekh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi with a place in the final against league-leaders and reigning champions Mumbai at stake.

Hyderabad have the psychological edge having already beaten Delhi twice this season and also having won five of their last six matches, while Delhi come into this fixture with only one win in their last six outings. 

Ahead of this all-important clash, here are the key facts about the contest: 

Will Rashid be Delhi's doom again?

Year after year, Rashid Khan continues to prove himself as one of the best, if not the best, spin bowlers in T20s.

The Afghanistan leggie has picked 19 wickets in 15 matches at a scarcely believable economy rate of 5.30. While he has a good record against every team in the league, his numbers against Delhi are particularly impressive.

In five matches against Delhi since 2019, Rashid has picked up 10 scalps and a mind-boggling economy rate of just 3.80. The 22-year-old simply knows how to thwart the Delhi batting line-up and like the rest of the league, Delhi will likely just play out his quota of four overs, but that has rarely stopped Rashid from picking up wickets for his side.

Players to watch out for 

Delhi – Shikhar Dhawan

Since hitting two centuries on the trot, Delhi opener Shikhar Dhawan has gone cold after having scored just 60 runs in the subsequent five matches, which includes three ducks. With Prithvi Shaw struggling to get going as well, Dhawan's baffling drop in form came at the worst time for Delhi and given his record in the playoffs, it is unlikely that he would be able to turn it around against Hyderabad. In 19 knockout matches, Dhawan has a strike rate of just 94.06 and an average of just 10.21, a terrible return for any player, let alone one of Dhawan's ability. If Hyderabad crack open Delhi's top order like Mumbai did in Qualifier 1, it could be lights out for the team from the capital.

Hyderabad – Jason Holder

Since his injection into the playing XI, Jason Holder and Hyderabad have been on a roll, with the big West Indian picking up 13 scalps in six matches at an economy rate of just 7.62, a fantastic return for a bowler who plays as the third choice seamer in the side. Holder has picked up at least one wicket in each of his six appearances this season and has the best strike rate of any bowler in the league at 11.08, ahead of the likes of Purple Cap competitors Jasprit Bumrah(12.44) and Kagiso Rabada (14.08), who are second and third respectively. Holder's work in the middle overs and the death has been nothing short of gold for Hyderabad and the team would be hopeful that he can continue his good work against Delhi and potentially, Mumbai. 

Stats to watch out

2: Delhi’s Ravichandran Ashwin is just two wickets shy of 250 scalps in T20s. He could become the third Indian bowler to achieve the feat after Piyush Chawla and Amit Mishra.

5: David Warner needs five sixes to complete 200 maximums in the Indian T20 League. He could become the sixth batsman after Chris Gayle, AB Devilliers, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to achieve this feat.

6: Team batting second have won six straight matches at Abu Dhabi.

21: Hyderabad’s Wriddhimann Saha needs 21 runs to complete 2000 runs in the Indian T20 League. He could become the 39th batsman to reach the mark in the league.

Writer’s pick

Given the terrible form of Delhi's batter and a brilliant one of Hyderabad’s bowlers, we pick the Orange Army to win this contest and head to the final for a repeat of the final group stage match of the season.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Noah Seelam