Having outwitted Team Bengaluru with mere supremacy, Team Hyderabad will lock horns with Delhi in the 16th fixture of the Indian T20 League in a bid to retain the spot of the table.
On the back of their batting artistry, spearheaded by the likes of Jonny Bairstow and David Warner, taking on Delhi at their own turf won’t be a walk in the park, to say the least.
Despite their previous discontent, Delhi this season have shown why they can be a headache even for the top teams and their win over Mumbai remains a perfect specimen of it.
The head-to-head record though favours the visitors. Hyderabad, on a personal scale, carries the second-best winning percentage (66.66%) against their tonight’s opponents. In 12 head-to-head encounters, the visitors have won 8 and have lost 12.
That being said, here we take a look at the top picks for the game:
Batsman: David Warner
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Australian batsman David Warner has marked his return to the Indian T20 League circuit in absolute style. In Hyderabad’s tournament opener, regardless of the result, Warner stood out by scoring 85 off just 53 deliveries, smashing nine boundaries and three maximums.
He continued his rich vein of form by scoring 69 off 37 against Rajasthan as his side chased a high scoring chart - 199 - with relative ease. And while Jonny Bairstow stole the limelight during the Bengaluru fixture, a certain Warner, too, completed his ton off just 55 deliveries.
The vicious Australian has scored half-centuries in each of his three innings, maintaining a strike rate of 175.17. So there’s absolutely no doubt why the hard-hitting batsman remains the top pick.
Bowler: Rashid Khan
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There might have been several ifs and buts about this department, but Hyderabad’s marquee bowler, Rashid Khan has been the top pick for the fixture. Though he has not been that successful in terms of taking wickets this season (two from three games), his economy of 6.25 coupled with a strike rate of 36.00 and the ability of keeping the opposition under pressure has made him a safer bet.
Practically, no other bowler from the Hyderabad team has reliable this year, except for Nabi, who has played just one game. One might look to Delhi’s Kagiso Rabada, but the fact remains that the pacer leaks run – averages 7.78 this season - and with players like Warner and Bairstow standing at the crease, the Afghan spinner well and truly becomes secured option.
All-Rounder: Vijay Shankar
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There has to be no doubt about it. Trading Shikhar Dhawan for the all-rounder did raise several eyebrows, but the gamble is paying off, to say the least. Though Shankar is not extremely successful with the ball, he indeed provides an option to look for at times.
With the bat though, he remains an absolute beast on his day. Against Kolkata, the 28-year-old was his side's second highest run scorer (40 off 24). Against Rajasthan, he proved out to be the man in need by smashing 35 off just 15 deliveries. As we look at Delhi's all-round capabilities, neither Chris Morris nor Axar Patel have proved their mettle. Although the former has picked four wickets in 2 games, his economy of 8.12 isn't something one might look upto. Apart from that, Shankar's ability of hitting maximums is also a plus in his case.
