Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni has won the toss and elected to bowl vs Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 1 in Dubai on Sunday.
For the first time in IPL history, Delhi are playing IPL playoffs for the third consecutive time. In 2019 they finished third, second in 2020 and again this year they made it to the playoffs with an eye to enter the final for the second consecutive time.
Delhi defeated Chennai both times this season during their faceoff.
Capitals finished the league stage on top spot while CSK were second in the points table.
After winning the toss, Dhoni said the playing eleven was unchanged. “Whatever games we have played so far, the guys felt there was a bit of help for the seamers initially, it’s a tough wicket, but it could get better later on. We try to keep it simple, irrespective of any game. We analyse our shortcomings and it has helped us.”
Delhi skipper Rishabh Pant said England pacer Tom Curran was drafted in the playing eleven in place of all-rounder Ripal Patel. “We are fine with the toss, but we’d have bowled first. Slightly nervous, but it’s part and parcel of the game. When you win games, the confidence level is high, but we’ll not take the match lightly.”
Playing XIs
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (captain and wicketkeeper), Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Tom Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Avesh Khan
Chennai Super Kings: Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa, MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Josh Hazlewood
