Sunrisers, Capitals face-off in battle of desperation

The halfway mark of the 2023 Indian Premier League season is around the corner and Match 34 features two sides who are steadily racing against time to keep their playoff hopes intact. Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to host Delhi Capitals in what should be a contest no lesser than a knockout fixture.

Technically, neither side are on the brink of elimination. However, with six games played apiece, Sunrisers have just two wins while Capitals have only managed a solitary victory thus far. Clearly, anymore defeats at this point only complicates matters.

Capitals are coming into this match having just opened their account on the points table but they made heavy weather of what should have been a routine victory against the Kolkta Knight Riders. Meanwhile, Sunrisers are on a two-match losing streak after bowing down to Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings in their last two fixtures.

SRH and DC have both struggled primarily in the batting department with consistency being the major hurdle. There has also been a lack of clarity in terms of the roles given to the batters, and it has resulted in the batting units lacking the required cutting edge.

When: Monday, April 24 at 7.30 PM IST

Where: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad

What to expect: A decent batting surface with short boundaries to aid brisk scoring. The new ball has moved a bit while spin has also played a role. Bounce is expected to be on the lower side with a lot of skid. The three games here have seen scores of 203, 143 and 192 - although the first of those came in a day game.

Team watch

Sunrisers Hyderabad