Former India batsman and batting coach Sanjay Bangar feels that if there’s one team that can beat the in-form Mumbai Indians, it’s the Delhi Capitals. Bangar threw his weight around Shreyas Iyer’s team saying that while it may be easy to not give DC much of a chance given against MI given how their campaign fell off the track in the fag end of the tournament, one should not forget the fact that for the most part of IPL 2020, it was the Capitals who led the points-table.
“Let me tell you one thing, when it goes to the Playoffs, no matter what has happened in the past, it’s on the day which team plays better cricket,” Bangar said on the Star Sports show Game Plan.
“Delhi Capitals, I agree might not have the experience of playing a lot of Playoff matches, but what they have undergone this season is very critical. Success early on, failures were in the latter half of the tournament, and then a very good match to qualify for and play in the second spot.”
The Capitals were on a roll, winning seven out of their first nine matches, before losing the next four in a row which sort of promised to jeopardise their campaign. But they returned to winning ways against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the penultimate match of the group stage. MI on the other hand have quite easily been the team to beat this season, becoming the first team to qualify for the playoffs, finishing with 18 points after nine wins.
For the Capitals though, Shikhar Dhawan has already struck two centuries in a row this year, and the likes of Anrich Nortje and Purple Cap holder Kagiso Rabada have had an IPL to cherish. Keeping all these factors in mind, Bangar cautioned MI to not take DC lightly in the first qualifier on Thursday in Dubai.
“I believe that the kind of combination they have of good, young, experienced Indian batsmen, a battery of overseas fast bowlers and Indian spinners, that is a good mix of experience, pace, youth and then, if there’s one team that can challenge Mumbai Indians, it’s Delhi Capitals. So, beware Mumbai Indians, it’s not going to be easy,” Bangar pointed out.
