Two teams who did not have the best of campaigns last year will meet in the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) when Mumbai Indians take on Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Three-time champions Mumbai will be hoping to make amends for their 2018 showings where they failed to make it to the play-offs for only the third time in their history.
However, while Rohit Sharma and his men have been handed a favourable home clash to start their 2019 campaign, they head into the match with some big absentees in the pace department.
Veteran pacer and all-time IPL leading wicket-taker Lasith Malinga has pulled out of his side’s first six fixtures in order to participate in Sri Lanka’s Super Provincial One-Day tournament. Also, Kiwi pacer Adam Milne has pulled out of the IPL at the last-minute owing to a heel problem.
.@MahelaJay: When we got Malinga in the auction, Sri Lanka Cricket gave us his availability schedule. The (domestic) tournament wasn't a part of that.
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 23, 2019
There's a conversation to be made. Once we get through that conversation, we'll know frankly what's happening.#CricketMeriJaan
With Australia pacer Jason Behrendorff also currently away on international duty, Mumbai will bank on stalwart Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell McClenaghan to spearhead the fast-bowling department.
The batting unit for Mumbai looks fairly strong with the presence of Rohit, Evin Lewis, Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav while the Pandya brothers – Hardik and Krunal – provide depth in the all-rounder’s department.
Mumbai also have the services of veteran batsman Yuvraj Singh at their disposal but it remains to be seen how prominently the left-hander features given his dismal 2018 displays.
Delhi, meanwhile, come into the 2019 edition with a new name and a fairly young squad at their disposal. Led by young Shreyas Iyer, Delhi Capitals are yet to reach an IPL final and will be desperate to improve on their bottom-place finish in 2018.
Delhi already had a strong core of young Indian batsmen with the presence of Iyer, Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant and that has now been bolstered with some experience with Shikhar Dhawan making a return to his home franchise.
When the #CoachSpeaks, we listen! 👂
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 23, 2019
Let the final training session in Wankhede, begin! 💪#ThisIsNewDelhi #DelhiCapitals #MIvDC pic.twitter.com/iy5nc6c12P
With Dhawan and explosive New Zealand opener Colin Munro at the top and a young and energetic Indian middle-order, Delhi are looking good in the batting department. That South Africa batsman Colin Ingram arrives in the tournament on the back of some impressive showings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) also augurs well for the Capitals.
In the pace department, South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada will be key for Delhi along with New Zealand’s Trent Boult. Delhi also have in their ranks Ishant Sharma who returns to the IPL after a one-year absence and it will be interesting to see how the India pacer performs in the shortest format of the game.
It is the spin department where Delhi are looking particularly threatening with the presence of IPL’s second highest leading wicket-taker Amit Mishra, Sandeep Lamichhane and Axar Patel. While Mishra will bring all his years of experience, Nepal sensation Lamichhane is expected to play a much greater role for the franchise this time around after featuring in only three matches last year.
Delhi’s past record at the Wankhede does not inspire too much confidence with six defeats in their eight matches at the venue. However, a young squad brimming with potential coupled with some experienced campaigners could see them surprise quite a few teams in the 2019 edition.
LIKELY XIs
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Evin Lewis, Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan (wk), Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah.
Delhi Capitals: Colin Munro, Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hanuma Vihari, Aksar Patel, Sandeep Lamichhane, Amit Mishra, Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada
