IPL 8 Match Preview: For Delhi Daredevils, it’s practically do or die
Delhi Daredevils (lost to KKR)
What went Wrong: For all the runs he has scored on the domestic circuit, it wasn’t until he smashed a 29-ball 50 for the Delhi Daredevils on his IPL debut for them that the world really took notice of Kedar Jadhav. Unfortunately for the diminutive Maharashtra right-hander, that still remains the only half-century he’s scored in 38 matches. It’s unlikely he would have kept his place if it wasn’t for his handy skills with the gloves behind the stumps. And Jadhav did his cause no good by failing yet again against the Kolkata Knight Riders, this time despite being sent in at No.4. He made 10 off 6 deliveries before being caught at long-off with a weak shot, letting his team down for the umpteenth occasion, especially with Yuvraj Singh falling for 0.
What went Right: Amit Mishra proved why he is still a threat in the IPL by keeping the runs down in the KKR middle-overs with his wily leg-spin. He got rid of the dangerous Robin Uthappa at a crucial stage and went for only 20 runs in his 4 overs. However, he lacked support from the rest of the attack.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (bt RR)
What Went Right: The Sunrisers Hyderabad finally lifted their middle-overs curse at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, and they did so courtesy an Irish-born left-hander who seemed to be besieged by a curse himself. Eoin Morgan’s blistering 28-ball 63 ensured that the Sunrisers finally got a total in excess of 200 and proved that they weren’t entirely dependent on David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan. Then Ishant Sharma made an impressive comeback, getting rid of Shane Watson, and also keeping the runs down. That ensured that the Sunrisers could contemplate continuing with an all-Indian attack, thus strengthening their batting.
What went Wrong: On paper, Moises Henriques is a dream player to have on your side in the IPL. He bowls fast-medium, hits the ball a long way and is athletic on the field. But somehow, he’s struggled to find his niche in the IPL, more so for the Sunrisers. Against the Rajasthan Royals, he hit a couple of impressive shots but slowed down the momentum during his 21-ball 20. He hardly came close to keeping the Royals at bay with the ball.
Conclusion
There’s not much to play for now as far as the Daredevils are concerned, except winning all four remaining matches and hoping that the rest of the results go their way. The Sunrisers though have come right back into the mix with their win over the Royals on Thursday. With Morgan back in form, they will start as outright favourites.
