Every knockout match yields joy for one side and disappointment for the other. While Delhi Capitals rejoiced at having finally made it to the final after 12 years of trying, Sunrisers Hyderabad made their fourth playoff stage exit in as many years. For DC, it is as much a sigh of relief as it is a cause for trepidation as they step into uncharted territory against the masters of that area. Meanwhile, SRH will be picking up the pieces and looking forward to their next campaign. Plenty of runs, plenty of excitement, and plenty to talk about as we delve into 5 talking points from DC vs SRH.
1. Stoinis up front, Dhawan’s experience, and Hetmyer’s triumphant return
The gamble of putting Marcus Stoinis paid dividends to Delhi. Where Prithvi Shaw kept failing or slowing down the start, Stoinis kept up his end while Shikhar Dhawan accelerated. It wasn’t until 86 that the Capitals lost their first wicket, and it was a foundation the rest of their inning was built on. Shreyas Iyer was once again too slow, however, as his scoring problems persisted. Luckily, Shimron Hetmyer rewarded DC’s trust in him with a blistering 42 off just 22 to catapult Delhi to a solid 189. As well as the others played, Iyer himself must either change his approach, improve his performance, or demote himself down the order.
2. Lack of experimentation and poor fielding spelling doom for Sunrisers
While it’s fine to use your main bowlers if they’re finding success, it’s important to be willing to change things up and experiment should that not be going as planned. Abdul Samad and Manish Pandey were both options they could have experimented with, but they stuck with their main bowlers even after they conceded much more than they should have. Additionally, SRH’s fielding was downright dismal as they dropped no fewer than 3 catches at crucial junctures of the game and also conceded runs on an overthrow.
3. Top order failure and that unfortunate 19th over
In order to win at cricket, you need to get preferably both batting and bowling right, or at least one of those very right. After their failure with the ball, the Sunrisers lost their opening pair 3 batsmen quickly and, although their run rate was still fine, started becoming bogged down due to not having many wickets in hand. Abdul Samad came in with a fine cameo to make things exciting, but when they needed 23 from 10, Rabada took 3 off 3 legal deliveries with only one wide in between to all but seal the match for the Capitals.
(Image Credit: ESPNcricinfo's Twitter)4. Rabada, Stoinis, and the art of crucial performances
Speaking of Rabada, he was an absolute beast with the ball. The only reason he didn’t win player of the match was because Marcus Stoinis took 3 and scored 38 important runs. At the end of the day, it’s the number and magnitude of crucial performances that make or break a match, and the Capitals just had more of those than SRH with Stoinis, Rabada, Dhawan, and Hetmyer all acting their respective roles.
5. What this final means to Delhi going forward
While they will no doubt be feeling jubilant about playing a final at last, the Delhi Capitals squad would have preferred to face literally any other team. Mumbai Indians have already beaten them 3 times this season, and have looked like their kryptonite. Moreover, MI have the second-most experience with playing IPL finals after CSK, and have only lost one out of the five they’ve played. It will take every bit of skill and luck DC can muster for them to win this one.
What’s next for Delhi Capitals?
With the final secured, the Capitals have definitely made a statement - this new iteration of the team has it in them to both dominate and come back after some failures. They have already outdone all their predecessors, and need to feel free of the pressure of expectation as they head into the final. Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians takes off at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai at 7:30PM IST on November 10th.
How our predictions went
Although most people would put their money on SRH, we went with DC and were rewarded. Rahane didn’t get to bat, but Williamson did get the highest runs and the most boundaries for his team. Dhawan scored a fifty, but Pandey could only eke out 21. As for sixes and fours, the choices were reversed. Join us next time when we dive into what promises to be an exciting final between DC and MI!
