IPL 2023: 3 Key Match-Ups to Watch-Out in DC VS MI Match No.16

IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals (DC) will host Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 16th match of the ongoing IPL 2023 season at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Both teams desperately need a win to open their account in the 16th edition of the league. When it comes to the head-to-head record both teams have faced each other on 32 occasions with Mumbai leading the record with 17 wins while Delhi has won 15 times. Notably, DC has won three out of their last four matches against MI.

Having lost three games on the bounce the pressure is well and truly on the David Warner-led side. Despite having a star-studded batting line-up, they have failed to win games this season. Skipper Warner has scored runs but his strike rate has been an issue. He is carrying the responsibility of the whole batting lineup but he is not getting support from other batters. The bowlers too haven’t really contributed that much so far this season. All of them have been expensive and that’s been another concern for DC.

MI is used to losing back-to-back games at the start of an IPL season but knows how to bounce back and go all the way to clinch the title. This year it’s different due to the unavailability of players such as Jasprit Bumrah and Jhye Richardson. Like DC, MI too haven’t figured out their best playing eleven yet. To get two points and avoid a hattrick of losses, MI players will have to step up in Delhi’s home.

IPL 2023: Top Player Battles to Keep an Eye On in DC VS MI Game:

3) David Warner vs Jofra Archer

Warner has scored 158 runs in 3 matches at an average of 52 with two half-centuries. But he has a low strike rate of only 117. Notably, both his fifties came in a losing cause. So far this season, Warner hasn’t really set the stage on fire and that is because of the extra responsibility he has as a captain and senior batter of the team. Opening the batting, Warner has failed to capitalize on the field restrictions early in the powerplay overs. The left-handed batter plays in his shell early in his innings. Jofra Archer, who missed out on the last game is expected to return to the XI. Archer, leading the bowling attack will have to get rid of Warner. The Barbados-based pacer has dismissed Warner twice in his T20 career. Warner’s strike rate is below 100 when he goes up against Archer.

2) Rohit Sharma vs Anrich Nortje

The Mumbai Indians skipper has just not looked in any kind of rhythm in recent times. He was out of sorts in the first two games of the IPL 2023 season. Last game he got an absolute peach of a delivery from Tushar Deshpande. Rohit is due for big runs and he will look to bring his A game in the match against DC. Looking to stop him will be Delhi’s express pace bowler Anrich Nortje. Nortje enjoys bowling to right-handed batters especially early in the powerplay with the new ball. The Proteas pacer is too hot to handle and he hits the right lengths which can trouble the best of the batters. He has certainly troubled IPL legend, Rohit Sharma. Nortje has dismissed Rohit twice with the star opener scoring at a rate of only 117. These numbers would dent Rohit’s confidence heading into the game against Nortje. It’ll be interesting to see who emerged victorious in the battle of heavyweights.

1) Suryakumar Yadav vs Axar Patel

MI’s batting lynchpin Suryakumar Yadav came into IPL 2023 on the back of a disastrous run against Australia in the three-match ODI series. It seemed like things will turn around for him when he will don the MI jersey but it hasn’t been the case till now. In the game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Surya got out to left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner. In his IPL career, left-arm spinners have troubled MI’s star batter. That’s where Axar Patel will come into play. Axar hasn’t bowled much this season but he is expected to bowl his full quota in the upcoming game as there are a lot of right-handers in MI’s batting line-up. Against Surya in particular, Axar’s record is fantastic. He has only given 53 in 61 balls while also dismissing him once. Although dominant against spinners, Surya hasn’t fared well against the left-arm spinners and he will have to be cautious against Axar.