Big picture: Delhi Capitals look to snap losing streak
Team news: Wanindu Hasaranga, Mitchell Marsh return
Hasaranga has linked up with Royal Challengers and is available for selection after having completed his national commitments in New Zealand. The Sri Lanka legspinner will slot into the XI in place of David Willey or Wayne Parnell. This will result in another swap: Akash Deep for Karn Sharma. Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is expected to arrive in India on Friday and will finish his rehab with Royal Challengers. It is understood that he's unlikely to play against Capitals on Saturday.
Toss and Impact Player strategy
Anuj Rawat might be used as a floater in the middle order to counter Axar and Kuldeep if Royal Challengers bat first. Seamer Akash Deep is likely to come in as an Impact Player when they bowl.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Bat-first XI (possible): 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Mahipal Lomror, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Anuj Rawat, 7 Shahbaz Ahmed, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 David Willey/Wayne Parnell, 11 Mohammed Siraj
Bowl-first XI (possible): 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Mahipal Lomror, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Harshal Patel, 9 David Willey/Wayne Parnell, 10 Akash Deep, 11 Mohammed Siraj
Delhi Capitals
Marsh, who had missed Capitals' last two games for his wedding, has rejoined the squad and is set to return to the starting XI in place of Rovman Powell.
Capitals are likely to bring in Mukesh Kumar or Chetan Sakariya as their Impact Player, when they bowl. Prithvi Shaw might make way for one of the two seamers.
Bat-first XI (possible): 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Yash Dhull/Aman Khan, 6 Axar Patel, 7 Lalit Yadav, 8 Abhishek Porel (wk), 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Mustafizur Rahman
Bowl-first XI (possible): 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Yash Dhull/Aman Khan, 5 Axar Patel, 6 Lalit Yadav, 7 Abhishek Porel (wk), 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Anrich Nortje, 10 Mukesh Kumar/Chetan Sakariya, 11 Mustafizur Rahman
Pitch and conditions
Stats that matter
- Glenn Maxwell vs Kuldeep promises to be an intriguing match-up. Maxwell has hit the wristpinner for 59 runs in 21 balls while being dismissed three times in the IPL.
- Dinesh Karthik has a strong head-to-head record against Mustafizur in T20 cricket: 46 runs off 23 balls with just one dismissal.
- Royal Challengers (9.51) and Capitals (9.18) have the worst economy rates in IPL 2023.
Deivarayan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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