The Kensington Oval is one of the world’s oldest cricket grounds located to the west of Bridgetown on the island of Barbados.

Established in 1871, the Kensington Oval staged its first international match, a Test match between West Indies and England in January 1930. The match ended in a draw.

With a seating capacity of 28,000, the iconic cricket venue has hosted more than 50 Tests and ODIs so far.

The Kensington Oval hosted its first T20 international between West Indies and Australia on June 20, 2008. The hosts won the first-ever T20I at the venue by seven wickets. Since then, it has staged more than 20 T20Is so far.

The Barbados cricket stadium has also staged several local, regional and women’s international cricket matches. It was one of the venues for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and the ICC World T20 2010. It will also host the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Let’s have a look at Kensington Oval T20 records and stats:

Kensington Oval T20 records and stats

Highest team total

The West Indies cricket team holds the record for the highest team total at the Kensington Oval in T20 cricket. During England’s tour of the West Indies in 2022, the Kieron Pollard-led West Indies posted a mammoth total of 224/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Rovman Powell’s 53-ball 107 and Nicholas Pooran’s 70 off 43 balls helped the hosts record a massive total on the board. In reply, England scored 204/9 in their 20 overs as West Indies registered a 20-run victory in Barbados. The hosts later won the five-match T20I series 3-2.

Lowest team total

The Afghanistan cricket team registered the lowest team total at the Kensington Oval in the T20 format. Chasing 140 against South Africa, Afghanistan were bowled out for 80 in 16 overs during an ICC World T20 clash in 2010. Mirwais Ashraf (23) and Hamid Hassan were the two Afghan batters to score in double digits. For South Africa, Morne Morkel picked up four wickets while Charl Langeveldt took three wickets.

Most runs

Australia's David Warner has scored the most runs at this cricket venue in T20 international cricket. Between 2010 and 2024, the flamboyant T20 batter accumulated 252 runs in seven matches at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 140.78. He slammed three fifties at this ground. West Indies cricketer Nicholas Pooran is second on the list with 217 runs in eight matches at an average of 36.16 and a strike rate of 128.40.

Most wickets

West Indies fast bowler Jason Holder bagged the most wickets at the Kensington Oval in T20 cricket. The right-arm pacer has already scalped 18 wickets in eight matches at an average of 11.88 and an economy of 8.33. He registered best bowling figures of 5/27 on this ground in the T20I format. 

Highest individual score

West Indies cricketer Rovman Powell registered the highest individual score at this venue in the T20 format. During the third T20I of England’s tour of West Indies in 2022, Rovman Powell slammed 107 off just 53 balls to power his side to 224/5 in 20 overs. Powell’s knock included four fours and 10 maximums. West Indies later restricted England to 204/9 in their allotted overs.

Best bowling figures

Jason Holder holds the record for the best bowling figures at the Kensington Oval in T20 international cricket. Jason Holder recorded match-winning figures of 5/27 against England in the fifth and final T20I in 2022. Defending 179, Holder dismissed captain Moeen Ali, wicketkeeper-batter Sam Billings, Saqib Mahmood, Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid to bowl out England for 162 in 19.5 overs. With the help of Jordan’s spell that saw him claim a hat-trick, West Indies clinched the five-match T20I series 3-2.

Highest partnership

Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara hold the record for the highest partnership at the Kensington Oval in the T20 international format. Electing to bat first, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara forged a brilliant 166-run stand for the second wicket against West Indies during an ICC World T20 clash in 2010. Captain Sangakkara scored 68 off 49 balls while Jayawardene remained unbeaten on a 56-ball 98 to power Sri Lanka to 195/3 in their 20 overs. In reply, West Indies scored 138/8 and suffered a 57-run defeat.

Photo credit: Alamy

Two new teams were added to the Indian T20 League ahead of its 15th edition with franchises from Lucknow and Gujarat now a part of the biggest T20 league in the world.

The Lucknow franchise was purchased by renowned businessman and sports enthusiast Sanjiv Goenka, whose RPSG Group conglomerate successfully placed a bid of INR 7,090 crore last year to buy the team.

Ahead of the 15th edition of the Indian T20 League, the Lucknow franchise has been shaping up pretty well behind the scenes prior to their bow in the biggest T20 extravaganza across the globe.

With two-time Indian T20 League winning captain Gautam Gambhir as mentor and the legendary Andy Flower as coach, Lucknow put together strong supporting staff that guided them to plenty of smart acquisitions and prudent buys at the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru last month.

Discuss. Learn. Grow.#AbApniBaariHai#LucknowSuperGiants#TataIPL #IndianPremierLeague #IPL2022 #Mindset pic.twitter.com/rM8F8Io89h

�?Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) March 20, 2022

Here we have a closer look at what Team Lucknow will offer in their maiden Indian T20 League campaign.

Team Lucknow squad

Ahead of the Indian T20 League 2022 mega auction, the two new teams were presented the opportunity to sign players who could form their core squad. At the player draft, Lucknow roped in KL Rahul (INR 17 crore) as their team captain alongside Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis (INR 9.2 crore) and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (INR 4 crore).

In the two-day mega auction held in Bengaluru last month, Lucknow went on to make judicious acquisitions, buying international stars like wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock (INR 6.75 crore), Evin Lewis (INR 2 crore), Jason Holder (INR 8.75 crore) and Sri Lankan pacer Dushmantha Chameera (INR 2 crore). Andrew Tye makes for another great acquisition in the T20 format for the team as the Australian gets ready to replace an injured Mark Wood.

As far as their domestic talents are concerned, Lucknow secured quite a few noteworthy names. Manish Pandey (INR 4.6 crore), all-rounder Krunal Pandya (INR 8.25 crore), Avesh Khan (INR 10 crore) and Deepak Hooda (5.75 crore) will all be donning Lucknow colours in the upcoming campaign.

Team Lucknow squad for Indian T20 League 2022:

KL Rahul (captain), Ravi Bishnoi, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Jason Holder, Manish Pandey, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Krunal Pandya, Andrew Tye, Avesh Khan, Ankit Singh Rajpoot, Krishnappa Gowtham, Dushmantha Chameera, Shahbaz Nadeem, Manan Vohra, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Evin Lewis, Mayank Yadav

Team Lucknow strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

One glance at the Lucknow squad highlights their well-rounded and formidable bowling unit, which will be a big threat for opposition batters in the new season. T20 specialist Andrew Tye could be entrusted to make early in-roads into the opposition along with the experienced Jason Holder.

Avesh Khan is another option they can utilise early on even though he will primarily be responsible for keeping things tight at the death alongside Dushmantha Chameera and Tye. Additionally, Lucknow boasts a variety of spin options as well with the likes of Krunal Pandya, Shahbaz Nadeem and Krishnappa Gowtham, all capable of single-handedly turning the tide of a contest on their day.

Weaknesses

Lucknow’s batting looks slightly limited on paper and it will be interesting to see how they perform with the willow should some of their bigger names fail to get going. While KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock make for a formidable opening pair with Manish Pandey at No.3, it will be intriguing to watch what happens if the aforementioned trio finds it difficult to produce their best.

Their dearth of tried and tested batting options isn’t just limited to the top order since a lot will be riding on their power-hitting middle order that features Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis and Deepak Hooda. If their middle-order fails to perform to expectations, a lot of the onus will be on their top order, which isn’t exactly spoilt for choice as far as established international stars go.

Who can be the highest run-scorer for Team Lucknow?

A proven performer on the Indian T20 League stage, expect KL Rahul to lead from the front and finish as his team’s top run-getter in the upcoming campaign. Rahul, who finished as Punjab’s top-scorer (626 runs) last season, has been in fine form for India recently, consistently scoring runs on the international stage across all formats.

He has made 3,273 Indian T20 League runs at a magnificent average of 47.43 with two centuries and 27 fifties. As already mentioned, he enjoyed a fine campaign on a personal front last time around. The season prior in 2020 witnessed Rahul win the Orange Cap for most runs (670) and he was also adjudged the Game Changer of the Season in that edition.

Who can be the highest wicket-taker for Team Lucknow?

Avesh Khan looks primed to finish as his team’s top wicket-taker in Indian T20 League 2022 and he is likely to be Lucknow’s go-to bowler this season. The 25-year-old enjoyed a fine breakthrough campaign last time around, notching 24 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 25.82.

Avesh’s performances last year didn’t go unnoticed with the selectors handing him his T20I debut. He heads into the new Indian T20 League campaign as a capped Indian talent with a couple of international scalps under his belt. With more confidence and experience now than a year back, expect Avesh to go from strength to strength and be Lucknow’s top wicket-taker. 

Where will Team Lucknow finish in Indian T20 League 2022?

Starting from scratch as a new franchise in any league isn’t easy and that’s even more so in the ultra-competitive environment that’s synonymous with the Indian T20 League. That said, Lucknow can make the playoffs if all their stars stand up and be counted on most occasions although that’s easier said than done with the players still getting to know one another.

Lucknow Indian T20 League 2022 schedule, fixtures and match times

All times are in India Standard Time (IST)

Day and Date	Fixtures	Venue	Time
Monday, March 28	Gujarat vs Lucknow	Wankhede Stadium	7:30 PM
Thursday, March 31	Lucknow vs Chennai	Brabourne Stadium	7:30 PMÂ
Monday, April 4	Hyderabad vs Lucknow	DY Patil Stadium	7:30 PM
Thursday, April 7Â	Lucknow vs Delhi	DY Patil Stadium	7:30 PM
Sunday, April 10	Rajasthan vs Lucknow	Wankhede Stadium	7:30 PM
Saturday, April 16	Mumbai vs Lucknow	Brabourne Stadium	3:30 PM
Tuesday, April 19	Lucknow vs Bangalore	DY Patil Stadium	7:30 PM
Sunday, April 24	Lucknow vs Mumbai	Wankhede Stadium	7:30 PM
Friday, April 29	Punjab vs Lucknow	MCA Stadium	7:30 PM
Sunday, May 1	Delhi vs Lucknow	Wankhede Stadium	3:30 PM
Saturday, May 7	Lucknow vs Kolkata	MCA Stadium	7:30 PM
Tuesday, May 10	Lucknow vs Gujarat	MCA Stadium	7:30 PM
Sunday, May 15	Lucknow vs Rajasthan	Brabourne Stadium	7:30 PM
Wednesday, May 18	Kolkata vs Lucknow	DY Patil Stadium	7:30 PM

Author: Andre Pitts

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Featured photo: Twitter/KL Rahul

West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder holds the record for most wickets by a bowler in a bilateral T20I series.

The 30-year-old bagged 15 wickets in the recent T20I series against England at home. In the final match of the five-game series, Holder became the fifth bowler to register a double hat-trick in cricket.

Jason Holder broke the record for most wickets by a bowler in a bilateral T20I series that was previously held by Malawi’s Sami Sohail.

The medium pacer scalped 14 wickets in the 2019-20 Kwacha T20 Men's Cup against Mozambique, with his best spell of 4/18 coming in the fifth match of the seven-match series.

New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi came close to matching Sami Sohail’s record when he finished the 2020-21 home T20I series against Australia with 13 wickets. Sodhi’s performance saw him become the leading Kiwi wicket-taker against the Aussies in the 20-over format with 16 wickets.

Hayden Walsh is fourth on the list for most wickets by a bowler in a bilateral T20I series. He impressed onlookers as he bagged 12 wickets in a five-game T20I series against Australia. Walsh averaged 2.4 wickets in the bilateral series and it remains his best return for the West Indies.

Sierra Leone’s Samuel Conteh completes the top five list for most wickets by a bowler in a bilateral T20I series. He enjoyed a perfect debut series as he registered 12 wickets in a six-game T20I series as part of Sierra Leone's tour of Nigeria in 2021.

Ravichandran Ashwin holds the record for most wickets by an Indian bowler in a bilateral T20I series. The seasoned spinner returned with nine wickets in the 2015-16 T20I series against Sri Lanka. Over the course of the series, Ashwin went on to register his career-best figures in T20I cricket, 4/8.

Most wickets by a bowler in a bilateral T20I series

Bowler	Wickets	Opponent	Series Year
Jason Holder	15	England	2021-22
Sami Sohail	14	Mozambique	2019-20
Ish Sodhi	13	Australia	2020-21
Hayden Walsh	12	Australia	2021
Samuel Conteh	12	Nigeria	2021-22

Author: William Paul

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Featured photo: AFP / Randy Brooks

West Indies�?Jason Holder became the latest player to take a double hat-trick in cricket when he took four wickets in four balls in the fifth T20I against England on Monday, January 31.

With England needing 20 runs from the last over to chase a target of 180, Holder dismissed the quartet of Chris Jordan, Sam Billings, Adil Rashid and Saqib Mahmood in consecutive deliveries to become the fourth T20I bowler and fifth overall to take a double hat-trick in cricket.

While a double hat-trick might generally suggest six wickets in six balls, a double hat-trick in cricketing terminology refers to when a bowler dismisses four batters in consecutive balls in the same match.

Lasith Malinga was the first bowler to register a double hat-trick in international cricket, achieving the feat in a 2007 Cricket World Cup match against South Africa. To date, no bowler has managed to match the Sri Lankan pace icon’s feat in ODI cricket.

With the Proteas needing four runs off 32 balls, the Sri Lankan pace legend dismissed Shaun Pollock (44.5 overs) and Andrew Hall (44.6 overs) in the last two deliveries of the 45th over.

Upon returning to bowl his final over, Malinga notched the wickets of Jacques Kallis (46.1 overs) and Makhaya Ntini (46.2 overs) to complete a sensational double hat-trick in cricket. However, Sri Lanka still lost the game by one wicket and with 10 balls to spare.

Lasith Malinga replicated his 2007 feat again in the T20I format in 2019. This took place in a 20-over contest at Pallekele when New Zealand - chasing 126 - were reduced to 15/4 by the end of the third over.

Malinga first dismissed Colin Munro, making the Sri Lankan pacer the first bowler to take 100 T20I wickets. He followed that up with the wickets of Hamish Rutherford, Colin de Grandhomme and Ross Taylor in the next three balls to become the first and only bowler in cricket history to record a double hat-trick in cricket twice.

Afghanistan star Rashid Khan is credited as the first T20I bowler to take a double hat-trick in cricket having achieved the feat during a T20I series against Ireland in India in 2019.

Ireland’s Curtis Campher recently became the first bowler to register a double hat-trick in a T20 World Cup match with his incredible effort against Netherlands in 2021.

In the 10th over of the fixture, Campher bagged the wickets of Colin Ackermann, Ryan ten Doeschate and Scott Edwards to become the only second bowler after Brett Lee to complete a hat-trick in an ICC T20 World Cup match.

After Roelof van der Merwe fell for a golden duck on Campher’s fourth delivery, the Irish all-rounder wrote his name into the record books for taking four wickets in four balls in international cricket.

Bowlers with double hat-trick in cricket

Bowler	Opponent	Format	Year
Lasith Malinga	South Africa	ODI	2007
Rashid Khan	Ireland	T20I	2019
Lasith Malinga	New Zealand	T20I	2019
Curtis Campher	Netherlands	T20I	2021
Jason Holder	England	T20I	2022

Author: William Paul

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Featured photo: AFP / RODGER BOSCH

Team Mumbai’s Indian T20 League title defence has come back on track and they are eager to build on the run as they face off against Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.

Both Mumbai and Hyderabad enter this game on the back of thrilling encounters against Kolkata and Bangalore, respectively, but it is Rohit Sharma and Co. who showcased a clear hunger to win.

The David Warner-led Hyderabad, on the other hand, lost their second game in succession where they opted to chase.

Mumbai vs Hyderabad full squads

Mumbai: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Anmolpreet Singh, Aditya Tare, Chris Lynn, Saurabh Tiwary, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Jayant Yadav, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohsin Khan, Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy, Adam Milne, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Piyush Chawla, James Neesham, Marco Jansen, Yudhvir Charak, Arjun Tendulkar

Hyderabad: David Warner (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jonny Bairstow (wicket-keeper), Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Shreevats Goswami (wicket-keeper), Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Virat Singh, Priyam Garg, Jason Holder, Abdul Samad, Jagadeesha Suchith, Kedar Jadhav, Mujeeb ur Rahman

Mumbai vs Hyderabad probable XI

Despite a disappointing start to his 2021 campaign, Quinton de Kock is unlikely to be replaced in the playing XI. This effectively means that Rohit Sharma will field an unchanged team from the win against Kolkata.

Mumbai predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Marco Jansen, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult

Hyderabad need to include Kane Williamson into the playing XI, as his batting strengths can provide the much-needed edge to win chases. The return of Jason Holder proved effective in the bowling department but otherwise, there was no significant impact with the bat.

Hyderabad predicted XI: David Warner (captain), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Jonny Bairstow, Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Jason Holder, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Sandeep Sharma

Mumbai vs Hyderabad head-to-head record in Indian T20 League

Mumbai and Hyderabad’s head-to-head record stands even. In recent matchups, Rohit Sharma’s men have won three of the last five including a Super Over victory in the 2019 edition.

Mumbai vs Hyderabad head-to-head record
Mumbai	Metrics	Hyderabad
16	Matches	16
8	Wins	8
50%	Win Percentage	50%

Apart from the head-to-head record, Mumbai also enjoy a comfortable record at the MA Chidambaram Stadium having won six of the 10 games they played. Hyderabad, on the flip side, have lost all five matches.

Mumbai vs Hyderabad: Match result prediction

Mumbai are well-equipped and predicted to win the game against Hyderabad on Saturday, with the stats and odds in direct favour of the two-time defending champions. However, Hyderabad can take inspiration from their last outing against Mumbai - a 10-wicket win - and produce a landmark upset.

Best performers in Mumbai vs Hyderabad

Top tip: Best batsmen

Quinton de Kock, who was dismissed cheaply in the game against Kolkata, will look to make amends with a splendid inning against Hyderabad. The Proteas wicket-keeper has amassed 331 runs in nine matches against Warner’s side, and he is tipped to score maximum runs for the defending champions in the tie.

Hyderabad will entrust skipper David Warner to go all guns blazing against Mumbai. The southpaw is the odds-on favourite batsman in the Mumbai vs Hyderabad fixture, given he is the leading run-getter with 625 runs at a strike rate of 141.4.

Top tip: Best bowlers

Bhuvneshwar Kumar will spearhead the Hyderabad bowling order against Mumbai, and stats say that he has been their chief tormentor since 2017. With the champions struggling in the death overs this term, the Indian swing bowler is favoured to spell trouble for Rohit Sharma and Co., and add to his tally of 18 wickets.

For Mumbai, Trent Boult is tipped to be the game-changing bowler. The New Zealander has excelled for the five-time winners in the death overs, taking nine wickets in 110 balls, and shoulders the responsibility to exploit the weaknesses in Hyderabad’s batting order.

Top tip: All-rounders and wicket-keepers

Kieron Pollard is backed to be the top-performing all-rounder in the Mumbai vs Hyderabad game. As a batsman, the Trinidadian is the leading run-getter against David Warner and Co. with 383 runs at a staggering strike rate of 147.3.

Quinton de Kock is the wicket-keeper you should place your bet on for this tie. The South African has accounted for 43 dismissals in 33 matches, as opposed to Wriddhiman Saha’s 18 in 22 games.

Featured photo: Twitter / Mumbai Indians

This is the seventh in a series of features where we will be taking a detailed dive into the various factors that stood out during the course of the Indian T20 League 2020 season.

We saw many of the usual suspects like KL Rahul, David Warner, Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada, etc., coming up with top-notch performances in the recently concluded Indian T20 League. All of them have been consistent performers in the tournament over the years and it was not surprising to see them stepping up once again.

"We knew once the stage was set for the Indian T20 League to unfold at Dubai, that there would be some unexpected displays of brilliance," said Brett Lee. "Rajasthan's Rahul Tewatia was certainly one of those players, as he rose to the occasion more than once and became one of the most talked-about players of the tournament. Then there was Lockie Ferguson who worked some magic with the ball for Kolkata, and Chris Morris, another revelation. It's these surprising showings that keep the sport fresh and unpredictable in my book."

However, they were not the only players who dominated the headlines this season. In fact, there were many players who came up with stellar performances from nowhere and thus turned out to be absolute gamechangers for their respective sides. Here we take a look at some of those players.

Rahul Tewatia

Tewatia's association with the Indian Premier League dates back to 2013 but he had hardly earned any recognition in the sporadic opportunities he got with different teams during this period. However, the 2020 edition turned his career around completely as he went on to have a stellar season with both bat and ball.

Tewatia not only scored 255 runs at an excellent average of 42.50 but also picked up 10 wickets during the season. It included three match-winning performances as well. His spell of 3 for 37 completely derailed Chennai at Sharjah whereas his knocks of 53 and 45* against Punjab and Hyderabad respectively helped Rajasthan to pull off wins from difficult situations.

Lockie Ferguson

Kolkata were really struggling with their bowling towards the middle of the season. Pat Cummins was proving to be highly ineffective whereas nothing good was coming out of the inexperienced Indian pacers either. That was when they brought Lockie Ferguson into the XI to give their bowling unit the penetrative edge they were lacking, and the Kiwi international didn't disappoint.

Ferguson registered a match-winning spell of 4-0-15-3 right in his first match of this edition and thus helped Kolkata bounce back after a slump in form. He went on to end the season with six wickets to his name in five matches, claimed at an economy rate of 7.46.

Jason Holder

The Caribbean all-rounder's performances probably had the highest impact on a team's fortunes in this edition of the Indian T20 League. At the halfway mark, Hyderabad's chances of qualifying for the playoffs looked quite bleak. But Holder changed things up considerably as he not only turned put to be a wicket-taking bowler but also became a vital cog of their batting unit.

The 29-year-old picked up 14 wickets in the seven matches he played for Hyderabad, at an impressive average of 16.64, and also played a couple of useful cameos. It was due to his all-round show that Hyderabad were able to make it to the playoffs and his performances have ensured that he will be a highly sought-after asset in the mega auction next year.

The penultimate game of the season will see Delhi take on Hyderabad for a chance to play in the Indian T20 League 2020 final and I'm very excited for this match-up as it pits one of the best teams in the tournaments in Delhi against the in-form, firing-on-all-cylinders Hyderabad.

It’s that time in the tournament where the big players need to step up and be responsible for guiding their team to victory. So, with that in mind, here are the players I think will be the ones to decide this contest:

Delhi �?Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada has been Delhi’s ace pacer this season, but he had an outing to forget against Mumbai in Qualifier 1, giving away 42 runs in his quota of four overs in what was a rare wicketless game for the South African. What probably hurt him more was that he also had to see Jasprit Bumrah pick four wickets and take a two-wicket lead in the race for the Purple Cap. I'm certain Rabada can’t wait to redeem himself on Sunday against the team that smashed him for 54 runs in their most recent league stage encounter.

Hyderabad �?David Warner

Captain David Warner has been in sublime form for Hyderabad, notching up 546 runs and trailing only KL Rahul in the race for the Orange Cap. His incredible knock of 85 against Mumbai helped Hyderabad reach the playoffs, and while he checked out early against Bangalore in the Eliminator, he looked in good touch during his brief stay at the crease. Warner's performance will likely decide who goes on to face Mumbai in the final on Tuesday.

Delhi �?Marcus Stoinis

If not for Marcus Stoinis, Delhi would have probably suffered one of the most embarrassing defeats in franchise history against Mumbai in Qualifier 1. The Australian all-rounder picked a wicket in his only over and then scored 65 off 46 balls after coming in to bat with the score at 0/3, keeping Delhi in the hunt right up until the 16th over. Stoinis possesses the ability to take the game away from the opposition on his own and Delhi will need him to bring his A-game again on Sunday against Hyderabad.

Hyderabad �?Jason Holder

Mitchell Marsh's injury proved to be a blessing in disguise for Hyderabad as his replacement Jason Holder has been one of the stars for the side and would be one of the contenders for MVP if we only considered the second half of the season. Holder has picked up 13 wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 7.62 and also scored some handy runs with the bat, the highlight being his measured knock of 24 against Bangalore in the Eliminator. The West Indian is crucial to Hyderabad's chances of not only beating Delhi but also going all the way.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndianT20League

As per the points table, it will be second versus third when Delhi take on Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 at the Shiekh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi with a place in the final against league-leaders and reigning champions Mumbai at stake.

Hyderabad have the psychological edge having already beaten Delhi twice this season and also having won five of their last six matches, while Delhi come into this fixture with only one win in their last six outings. 

Ahead of this all-important clash, here are the key facts about the contest: 

Will Rashid be Delhi's doom again?

Year after year, Rashid Khan continues to prove himself as one of the best, if not the best, spin bowlers in T20s.

The Afghanistan leggie has picked 19 wickets in 15 matches at a scarcely believable economy rate of 5.30. While he has a good record against every team in the league, his numbers against Delhi are particularly impressive.

In five matches against Delhi since 2019, Rashid has picked up 10 scalps and a mind-boggling economy rate of just 3.80. The 22-year-old simply knows how to thwart the Delhi batting line-up and like the rest of the league, Delhi will likely just play out his quota of four overs, but that has rarely stopped Rashid from picking up wickets for his side.

Rashid Khan vs teams in Indian T20 League since 2019
Teams	Balls	Runs	Wkts	4s	6s	Economy	SR	Avg	Balls//boundary
Chennai	96	103	3	8	5	6.44	32.00	34.33	7.38
Delhi	120	76	10	8	0	3.80	12.00	7.60	15.00
Punjab	96	67	9	2	2	4.19	10.67	7.44	24.00
Kolkata	96	102	4	10	2	6.38	24.00	25.50	8.00
Mumbai	96	102	3	6	4	6.38	32.00	34.00	9.60
Rajasthan	96	99	5	7	2	6.19	19.20	19.80	10.67
Bangalore	120	146	2	7	8	7.30	60.00	73.00	8.00

Players to watch out for 

Delhi �?Shikhar Dhawan

Since hitting two centuries on the trot, Delhi opener Shikhar Dhawan has gone cold after having scored just 60 runs in the subsequent five matches, which includes three ducks. With Prithvi Shaw struggling to get going as well, Dhawan's baffling drop in form came at the worst time for Delhi and given his record in the playoffs, it is unlikely that he would be able to turn it around against Hyderabad. In 19 knockout matches, Dhawan has a strike rate of just 94.06 and an average of just 10.21, a terrible return for any player, let alone one of Dhawan's ability. If Hyderabad crack open Delhi's top order like Mumbai did in Qualifier 1, it could be lights out for the team from the capital.

Hyderabad �?Jason Holder

Since his injection into the playing XI, Jason Holder and Hyderabad have been on a roll, with the big West Indian picking up 13 scalps in six matches at an economy rate of just 7.62, a fantastic return for a bowler who plays as the third choice seamer in the side. Holder has picked up at least one wicket in each of his six appearances this season and has the best strike rate of any bowler in the league at 11.08, ahead of the likes of Purple Cap competitors Jasprit Bumrah(12.44) and Kagiso Rabada (14.08), who are second and third respectively. Holder's work in the middle overs and the death has been nothing short of gold for Hyderabad and the team would be hopeful that he can continue his good work against Delhi and potentially, Mumbai. 

Stats to watch out

2: Delhi’s Ravichandran Ashwin is just two wickets shy of 250 scalps in T20s. He could become the third Indian bowler to achieve the feat after Piyush Chawla and Amit Mishra.

5: David Warner needs five sixes to complete 200 maximums in the Indian T20 League. He could become the sixth batsman after Chris Gayle, AB Devilliers, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to achieve this feat.

6: Team batting second have won six straight matches at Abu Dhabi.

21: Hyderabad’s Wriddhimann Saha needs 21 runs to complete 2000 runs in the Indian T20 League. He could become the 39th batsman to reach the mark in the league.

Writer’s pick

Given the terrible form of Delhi's batter and a brilliant one of Hyderabad’s bowlers, we pick the Orange Army to win this contest and head to the final for a repeat of the final group stage match of the season.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Noah Seelam

A stellar display with the ball followed by a gritty performance with the bat saw Hyderabad beat Bangalore and advance to Qualifier 2 of the playoffs.

Here are the talking points from the contest:

Kane's fiery spirit

With his team in a hole at 43/2 and 55/3 soon after on a difficult surface to bat on, Hyderabad needed someone to step up and stay the course of the innings and guide the side to victory. Up stepped Kane Williamson, playing a patient and measured knock of 50 off 44 to lead Hyderabad to victory and just one win away from the final. The Kiwi batsman hit just two fours and two sixes in a gritty knock for his side.

Holder's all-round brilliance

West Indian all-rounder Jason Holder continued his incredible form with both bat and ball, making a huge impact in both innings for Hyderabad. The veteran picked three wickets and gave away just 25 runs in his quota of four overs, helping his side restrict Hyderabad to just 131. In the second innings, he walked in with Hyderabad needing 65 runs off 49 balls and displayed immense poise in his knock of 24 off 20 balls, partnering Williamson in guiding Hyderabad to victory.

What’s next?

Hyderabad now progress to Qualifier 2, where they will take on Delhi, who lost against Mumbai in Qualifier 1 but were presented with another opportunity to make it to the final owing to their top 2 finish in the league standings. Hyderabad thrashed Delhi by 88 runs in their last matchup and will be confident of a victory on Sunday.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / Indian T20 League

In the final league stage match of the season, Hyderabad will take on Mumbai knowing nothing short of a win will suffice to salvage their season. Ahead of this crucial encounter, here are the key facts:

Can Rashid run circles around Mumbai’s aces?

In Quinton De Kock and Hardik Pandya, Mumbai have two batsmen that can change the course on their own, one at the top of the order and the other at the death. 

Both players are perennially among Mumbai’s most valuable players for what they bring to the table. Both batsmen love taking on the opposition, with De Kock striking the ball at 135 while Pandya doing so at 175, making them extremely dangerous, but neither has been able to get the better of Hyderabad’s ace Rashid Khan.

In two outings against the leggie, De Kock has scored just 14 runs in 22 balls while being dismissed once by the wily Afghani while Hardik has scored just 18 runs in 33 balls, losing his wicket twice to the leg-spinner.

Hyderabad will be wary of the threat De Kock and Pandya pose, but in Rashid Khan, they may just have the perfect neutraliser for the duo.

Rashid Khan vs de Kock and Pandya
Batsman	Innings	Runs Scored	Balls Faced	Dismissed	Strike Rate
Quinton de Kock	2	14	22	1	63.63
Hardik Pandya	5	18	33	2	54.54

Players to watch out for

Hyderabad �?Jason Holder

Since being drafted into the playing XI, experienced all-rounder Jason Holder has made a world of difference for Hyderabad with the ball. The big West Indian has picked eight wickets in just four matches and is also batting at a strike rate of 172.22, proving to be a difference-maker with both bat and ball. Hyderabad have won three of the four matches with Holder in the side and they will be hopeful that the all-rounder can deliver another big performance against one of the best teams in the league.

Mumbai �?Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav continues to be a beacon of consistency for Mumbai as he is closing on a third straight campaign with over 400 runs for the defending champions. The 30-year-old has struck three fifties this season and has proven himself to be a reliable batsman on difficult surfaces for his side. Surya has scored 131 runs in his last three matches and will be looking to cap off the league stage with another scintillating performance ahead of the playoffs. 

Stats to watch out: 

1: All-rounder Jason Holder needs just one more scalp to complete 100 wickets in T20s.

6: Mumbai Kieron Pollard and Hyderabad's David Warner need six sixes each to complete 200 sixes in the Indian T20 League.

6.22: Hyderabad's Rashid Khan has an economy rate of just 6.22 this season; the lowest in the league.

9: If Warner outscores Mumbai’s Rohit Sharma by nine runs in this contest, he will overtake the Indian opener and become the third-highest run-scorer in league history.

27: Kieron Pollard needs just 27 runs to become the second player to score 3000 runs for Mumbai in the league. Rohit Sharma is the only player to have achieved this feat thus far.

Writer’s pick

Mumbai have absolutely nothing to play for in this fixture and will likely rotate most of their starters and give chances to their fringe players ahead of the playoffs. Hyderabad have everything on the line and will be desperate to get the win to secure a playoff spot. Given that Mumbai will bench a large part of their regular playing XI, we back Hyderabad to win and secure a spot in the playoffs.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Indranil Mukherjee