Runs, runs and runs should be the order of the day when Delhi Daredevils take on Mumbai Indians at Feroz Shah Kotla on Saturday. Batsmen from both teams should have a field day in Delhi, with the pitch suiting batsmen and also shorter boundaries coming to their aid.
Delhi Daredevils have some brilliant youngsters who can deliver with the bat. Mumbai Indians, with their established batsmen, should also produce a run feast.
Fans are already carrying a sorry feel for the bowlers, who will have a tough time in Delhi.
Here is how the Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians match could go
If MI bat first
Jos Buttler and Parthiv Patel are in a dangerous mood, and score runs in boundaries. The duo make 59 runs in the first six overs, but some brilliant bowling from Amit Mishra pegs Mumbai down. They lose both the openers in quick succession. Mumbai Indians score 84 runs in 10 overs.
Nitish Rana and Rohit Sharma form a solid partnership, with the former playing some aggressive shots. Rana is middling the ball, and there is an air of confidence, which later turns to over confidence as he tries to paddle an inswinging delivery, leading to his dismissal. Pollard walks, but he takes no time to go back from where he came — the dugout. He is out for a golden duck.
With Rohit and Krunal Pandya at the crease, the skipper starts to play his shots, and is held out in the deep. There seems to be some sort of a collapse, but some fine finishing from the Pandya brothers pushes them towards 163 runs in 20 overs.
Sanju Samson oozes class as he drives the first ball towards the fence. No fielder moved in the 30-yard circle. That was just one of those shots in the first six overs, which caught the eye as Samson and Karun Nair score 49 in the first six overs.
Samson is gone, but in comes last match hero Rishabh Pant, who only knows one way to play – attack. He does the same, and scores a quick fire 45 runs from 19 balls to put the home team in strong position before getting out in the 12th over.
DD are on the front foot with Pant's innings and with some power hitting from Chris Morris, DD cross the finishing line in the 18th over of the match.
If DD bat first
Nair and Samson are dealing in boundaries. It is raining fours and sixes at Kotla. They have scored 69 from six overs, and are looking set for more.
But somehow, DD are not able to score quick runs in the middle overs. They crawl to 100 runs in the 11th over, with two openers back in the hut.
The momentum changes with the arrival of Anderson as the left-hander drills the ball for some wonderful sixes, but his blitzkrieg comes to a quick end. Morris and Pant power DD to 182 runs.
Buttler seems to be enjoying the short boundaries and hits two sixes in the cow corner. The right-hander is playing aerial shots without any fear and his mishits are also producing sixes. Luck also seems to be in his favour as Shreyas Iyer drops a dolly at long on.
It seems to be costly as Buttler and Patel score 82 runs in the first six overs, and the Englishman completes his 50 in the 8th over. They are in a comfortable position, as they have not lost a single wicket in the first 10 overs.
But, double strike for DD and Patel and Rana are gone. That does not stop Buttler from playing his shots while Rohit plays second fiddle. Buttler is nearing his maiden IPL 2017 hundred, but then he is run out on 80 runs.
Rohit and Pollard are in the middle, and Buttler's innings has brought them closer to the total. DD reach the target in the 19th over with some typical Pollard sixes.
