The Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad have yet to meet this season. The Capitals are currently sixth while the Sunrisers are fourth, with only two points separating the two teams. In fact, the Sunrisers are only fourth because they have a higher net run rate than two other teams with the same number of points. The Capitals, on the other hand, have the best net run rate of any team but can do nothing with it for the time being.

There has been a pattern in their season thus far: Sunrisers have lost two, won five, then lost two again, while Capitals have struggled to win two in a row despite being nine matches into the league stage. However, their captains are as diametrically opposed as fire and ice, as evidenced by their strike rates this year: Rishabh Pant’s 149 is up to 50 rungs higher than Kane Williamson’s.

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Capitals’ openers have typically led the way this year, and when they both failed to fire in their previous encounter – against Lucknow Super Giants – their middle order fell seven short of finishing the job, as Pant produced 44, only his joint-highest score this season having reached the 40s thrice.

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If the Capitals were to focus on the positives, Pant’s middle-order comrades answered admirably – Mitchell Marsh, Rovman Powell, and Axar Patel all made useful contributions – while Shardul Thakur was among the wickets with the ball.

And, while Pant’s counterpart Williamson scored 47 against the Chennai Super Kings, he will be concerned about his team losing back-to-back games: first failing to defend 195 in a last-ball thriller, and then falling 14 short of chasing 203, another near-miss despite a late assault, as their usually dependable bowling unit failed to deliver.

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With time running out and points becoming more difficult to come by, the tournament is nearing its conclusion, when a narrow line could separate the sides and decide their fate. The Sunrisers know they can’t afford to fall even further behind at this point, and the Capitals know that a win might put them in serious contention for the playoffs.

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T Natarajan was suspected of having a niggle against the Super Kings, but the nature of the ailment remained unclear because he left the field after bowling one over in the early exchanges and then returned to bowl three at the end. Washington Sundar also had his webbing split for the second time this season, forcing him off the field. However, no official word from the Sunrisers’ camp on their availability has been received.

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Sushant Mishra has been signed as a replacement for the injured Saurabh Dubey by the Sunrisers.