Match 50

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Preview: CSK vs DD (IPL - Match 50)

What

The Chennai Super Kings, riding high after their win against the Kolkata Knight Riders, take on a battle-weary Delhi Daredevils at home

When

Thursday, April 15, 8pm

Where

MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

The Protagonists

Ravichandran Ashwin – The pitch at Chepauk has blown hot and cold over its past few matches, at one time being a bowler’s paradise, and at the other time, a batsman’s treasure. Whatever the wicket has been like, however, this man has given consistent performances. His impeccable figures of 3 for 16 rocked the Kolkata Knight Riders in his team’s last match. And he doesn’t look like he’s done there, seemingly intent on claiming some more match-winning performances before the tournament is out.

David Warner – Were it not for Dilhara Fernando’s sly wit, that got his wicket, the Delhi Daredevils would have taken their last game by the scruff of its neck. With 31 off 15 balls in that innings, this diminutive southpaw is still in fine form, and will want to fire longer and harder to lift his team back to the upper half of the table.

Head to head

Five matches have taken place between these two teams, and there is hardly any breathing space between them. The Super Kings lead with three wins to Delhi’s two. The last time they met a seemingly large total of 185 was shot down by the men from Chennai with relative ease

Previous Encounter

The Daredevils have been going through a winless patch for the past three matches, with their most recent match resulting in them being thumped by the Mumbai Indians away from home. The Super Kings shut out the Knight Riders in their previous match with nine wickets to spare

What next?

A win here could very well decide which team will reach the semi-final and which one won’t. Both these teams are on 12 points, with the Super Kings having the better net run-rate. Two points would mean Chennai can travel to Dharamsala with one less headache, whereas a win for the boys from Delhi can help them breathe easily and play their final match against the Rajasthan Royals at home with added zest.