DELHI VS. CHENNAI: INDIAN T20 LEAGUE 2021, QUALIFIER 1 | PREDICTION, PLAYING 11 AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
Table-toppers Delhi take on 3-time champions Chennai in Qualifier 1 of the Indian T20 League at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday evening.
Delhi finished at the top of the points table, with 20 points, and qualified for the play-offs for the third consecutive time. They come into this match after losing a thriller against Bangalore. On the other hand, Chennai finished second in the points table with 18 points. The team will be under pressure to perform after suffering three consecutive losses before this game, including the last game against Punjab.
Delhi have enjoyed a good record against Chennai in the last two seasons, winning all the four games played between the two sides. The winner gets direct entry into the finals, whereas the loser will get one more opportunity in Qualifier 2.
Match Details
- Game: Delhi vs. Chennai, Qualifier 1
- Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
- Date & Time: Oct. 10, 2021, at 7:30 PM IST/6 PM Local
Probable Playing XI
Delhi
Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan
Chennai
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (C & WK), Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood
Weather Report
The weather in Dubai is predicted to be hot and humid, with the temperature expected to be around 33 degrees during the match.
Pitch Report
Although the pitches in Dubai have traditionally favored pace bowlers, there has been ample help for the spinners this season. The batters have struggled to put up big scores here, which has led to some close contests in the previous matches. The average score on this pitch during this season has been 152 runs.
Toss
The team batting second has won 8 of the 11 matches played here as the pitch tends to get a little better to bat on as the match progresses. Putting a total on the board is proving to be difficult in Dubai. That being said, a first-innings score of around 170 runs can be a competitive one here.
Top Fantasy Picks
Wicketkeeper
- Rishabh Pant amassed 362 runs in 14 outings, compared to Dhoni scoring just 96 runs in 10 innings. He hasn’t fired with the bat in the last couple of matches at this venue, scoring 10 and 15 against Bangalore and Chennai respectively. He will look to make a big contribution this time.
Batters
- Shikhar Dhawan has been the stand-out batter for Delhi with his typical batting performances in this edition. He has scored 544 runs in 14 matches at an average of 41.84 and is currently the third-highest run getter of the tournament. Expect him to continue his good form.
- Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a revelation at the top of the order for Chennai in the 2021 edition. He is a classical kind of batter who relies more on timing rather than brute force. He has scored 533 runs in 14 matches, which includes 1 century and 3 half centuries.
All-rounder
- Ravindra Jadeja has done an excellent job with his all-round show this season. In 14 matches, Jadeja has taken 10 wickets at an economy rate of 6.75 and scored 227 runs at an average of 75.66. He will look to put up a big performance after an average outing against Punjab.
Bowlers
- Avesh Khan is Delhi’s highest wicket taker in this tournament, with 22 wickets to his name in 14 matches. He picked up 8 wickets in the previous four matches before being hit for a last-ball six against Bangalore, which resulted in a loss. Expect him to bounce back with a good spell here.
- Shardul Thakur has been in outstanding wicket-taking form in the second leg. He is the highest wicket taker for Chennai this season, taking 18 wickets in 14 matches at an economy rate of 8.57. His best figures of 3/28 came in the last match against Punjab at this venue.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: R Pant
- Batters: S Dhawan, S Iyer, R Gaikwad, A Rayudu
- All-rounders: D Bravo, R Jadeja, A Patel
- Bowlers: S Thakur, A Khan, A Nortje
- Captain: S Dhawan/A Nortje
- Vice Captain: R Gaikwad/S Thakur
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and play all the fantasy cricket matches from the Indian T20 League. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!
