Sachin

Mumbai: After a magnificent Virender Sehwag kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs, Delhi DareDevils would be looking forward to an encore from their skipper when they take on table toppers Mumbai Indians in a must-win IPL match here on Saturday.

Chasing a stiff 176-run target, Sehwag single-handedly demolished Deccan Chargers with a blistering 56-ball 119-run knock to fetch crucial two points for his team on Thursday.

Sehwag’s pyrotechnics against Deccan not only earned his side a fantastic come-from-behind win, but also earned him the Orange Cap from his Mumbai counterpart Sachin Tendulkar by boosting his tally of runs to an impressive 422.

But Tendulkar (351 runs) would be eager to snatch it back from Sehwag, thereby resulting in a mini battle between the two to provide yet another fascinating façade in the high-octane clash at the Wankhede Stadium.

The Delhi think tank benched regular opener David Warner in their last game, but with Aaron Finch misfiring yet again, the diminutive Australian is expected to return in the playing eleven.

It’s imperative that Sehwag and Warner (254 runs from nine games) fire in unison against the top-class Mumbai attack led by Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh to provide Delhi any chances of an upset victory.

The middle-order, however, has not clicked to the expected levels for Delhi, with the likes of Y Venugopal Rao, Naman Ojha and Irfan Pathan blazing a trail only in fits and starts.

By virtue of their victory over Deccan, Delhi now occupy the eighth position in the 10-team table with eight points.

Malinga

Going into the match, Delhi would like to forget their previous tie at home against Mumbai when Sehwag was run-out for 19 and they were eventually bundled out for a paltry 95 in less than 18 overs.

The eight-wicket defeat set off their campaign on the wrong note especially at their fortress — Feroz Shah Kotla — where they have tasted defeats in all but one out of six matches this season.

Delhi’s away campaign has provided them three wins, the lone defeat coming against Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur.

Delhi’s bowling attack looks almost fuller now with James Hopes, Ajit Agarkar and Avishkar Salvi offering good support to pace spearhead Morne Morkel. But Irfan Pathan will have to pull up his socks and come up with consistent performances to justify his place in the team. (PTI)