Two below par teams of the IPL, Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Daredevils are set for a lower table clash at IS Bindra Stadium on Sunday. It's a must-win for both teams in Mohali to stay in contention for Playoffs.
Here is how this IPL 2017 Match 36 might go in Mohali.
If KXIP bat first
Hashim Amla gets his team off to another flier, but Manan Vohra fails to shine in Mohali. Shaun Marsh and Amla score 55 runs in the first six overs. Both players are having a ball in the middle, hitting some classy shots all round the park. The partnership reaches 100 runs in 13th over, and the duo looks set for a huge score.
But then, DD bowling rips into the Punjab batting line up with Pat Cummins dismissing both players in the 14th over, bringing two new batsmen at the crease.
Glenn Maxwell is peppered with short pitch stuff as he fails to make an impact. Maxwell succumbs, and DD manages to stem the flow of runs, but a few late flourishes from Darren Sammy propel Punjab to 165 in 20 overs.
Karun Nair fails to fire again for DD, but Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer build a good partnership.
Like last match the duo finds it difficult to keep the scoreboard busy after scoring 45 runs in powerplay. DD batsmen are under pressure as the asking rate is mounting at above 10 rus per over. Samson gets out followed by Iyer.
DD promote big hitters Chris Morris and Carlos Brathwaite up the order, but the required rate is too much. Morris, after belting out some lusty blows, is out for 18 runs while Brathwaite is struggling, and falls later. With 48 runs needed in last three overs, DD only score 26 and lose the match.
If DD bat first
Samson is in sparkling form, and the bowling unit of KXIP is exposed, but DD suffer a setback with Samson and Karun Nair out in the last over of the powerplay. Iyer and Rishabh Pant get going. The left-hander seems to be in tremendous form with some clean strikes.
DD cruise to 100 runs in 80 balls. Pant hits two sixes against Axar Patel, but is holed out at the deep while going for a third straight six. There is a mini-collapse in the middle as Iyer, Morris and Ankit Bawne get out in next three overs.
But Brathwaite and Kagiso Rabada see DD to 158 runs.
The chase is tricky with DD's strong bowling unit. Zaheer Khan sends Hashim Amla back in the dugout. Shaun Marsh and Manan Vohra are living dangerously against Cummins and Morris.
DD bowlers are not giving any freebies. Pressure mounts on the batsmen, with required run rate htting the roof. DD score only 70 runs from 10 overs at the loss of 1 wicket. Rabada gets through Marsh's defence, and Maxwell is out for a golden duck. The target looks huge now, and Vohra also falls in the next over.
Despite some valiant effort from Sammy at the end, the DD bowlers' stand out to help the visitors win the match.
