Sanjay Bangar, former India batting coach and former batsman, has warned the four-time IPL champions and current title holder Mumbai Indians (MI) to be “beware” of Delhi Capitals ahead of the first Qualifier of the ongoing IPL 2020 on Thursday (November 5) in Dubai.
He further went on to claim that DC led by Shreyas Iyer is the team that can really challenge the defending champions MI and they should not take Capitals lightly, saying “it’s not going to be easy” for the in-form Mumbai to outsmart Delhi to make it to the IPL 13 final.
Despite having started off the season on high, winning seven out of their first nine matches, DC’s campaign fell off the track at the end of the IPL 2020, losing the next four in a row to jeopardize their playoffs chances, but they bounced back and returned to winning ways against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the penultimate match of the group stage and made it to the top four.
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Bangar said on the Star Sports show Game Plan: “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.”
He further added, “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.”
However, MI has been one of the strongest teams in the tournament, and this season too, they were the first team to qualify for the playoffs having finished with 18 points after nine wins, but Bangar feels DC has a great team combination that can put up a serious challenge against Mumbai.
He signed off by saying, “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.”
