Delhi Capitals (DC) will aim to secure another victory as they face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in an afternoon clash at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, March 30.
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Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Preview
Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma fear no one—except, perhaps, Mitchell Starc. Head has never been comfortable against the left-arm pacer, and after being cleaned up for a two-ball duck in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2024, he allowed Abhishek to take the first strike in the final. The rest, as they say, is history.
Now, Starc will take the new ball for a different team, once again locking horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) explosive opening duo on Sunday afternoon. If he can replicate his past success, it would be a major boost for Delhi Capitals’ (DC) bowling attack. In all recognized cricket, Head has managed just eight runs off 29 balls against Starc, falling five times—four bowled, one caught behind. Meanwhile, SRH’s left-handed openers might also look to exploit Axar Patel’s economy rate of 9.07 against left-handers, a stark contrast to his 6.51 against right-handers.
Last season, these matchups tilted in SRH’s favor as Head and Abhishek dismantled DC’s attack, smashing an IPL record powerplay score of 125 for 0 in Delhi. However, this time the battle shifts to Visakhapatnam, where DC recently pulled off a thrilling comeback win against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). While SRH will look to bounce back from a five-wicket loss to LSG, DC will aim to build on their newfound momentum.
DC’s opening victory was built on resilience. With the ball, they clawed back after LSG rocketed to 161 for 2 in 13 overs, eventually restricting them to 209. With the bat, they recovered from 66 for 5 to chase the target down with three balls to spare. Even as they crumbled in both powerplays and both post-powerplay phases, they refused to tap out.
That grit will be crucial again, as DC have fresh insights into how to contain SRH. LSG’s approach of treating all 20 overs like the death proved effective, and DC have the personnel to replicate it. Mohit Sharma and Mukesh Kumar possess the skillsets for the role, while Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav bring another year of wisdom.
However, DC have their own concerns—their top order misfired against LSG, and they can’t keep relying on their lower order to rescue them. New father KL Rahul is set to make his franchise debut, and figuring out his ideal position will be key. No. 4 seems the most probable slot—his best in terms of both average (49.08) and strike rate (139.90) across at least five innings.
That said, Rahul made his name as an opener, where he once smashed a 14-ball fifty—the fastest in IPL history at the time. With Jake Fraser-McGurk struggling for form, is there a case for Rahul to partner Faf du Plessis at the top? Fraser-McGurk was electric in IPL 2024, scoring 330 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 234.04 while averaging 36.66. But since then, he has struggled, managing only 382 runs in 24 T20 innings at a strike rate of 136.91 and an average of just 15.91.
DC’s bowling attack also has key matchups to monitor. Faf du Plessis has dominated Mohammed Shami in the IPL, scoring 106 runs off 61 balls with only two dismissals. However, Shami has had the upper hand against KL Rahul, conceding just 28 runs in 31 balls while dismissing him twice.
Pat Cummins has fostered a fearless batting approach within SRH, but their last outing against LSG exposed cracks. Despite posting 190, it felt below par given their high standards. They’ll be desperate to prove that Thursday’s setback was just a blip.
One player DC must be wary of is Abhishek Sharma, who boasts the best strike rate (197.3) against spin in IPL since 2023 among batters who have faced at least 100 balls. His ability to take on Axar and Kuldeep could be game-changing.
Meanwhile, Harshal Patel remains one of IPL’s most consistent wicket-takers. Since 2021, he has picked up 92 wickets in 60 matches at an average of 20.23 with an economy of 8.78—figures that highlight his ability to make an impact in key moments.
With both teams carrying contrasting momentum, this clash in Vizag promises to be an intense battle. Can DC’s adaptability and strategic nous counter SRH’s firepower? Or will Cummins’ men unleash their batting fury once again?
Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Head-to-head
SRH leads DC 13-11 in their head-to-head record. Since IPL 2023, SRH has won two of the last three encounters. Notably, all three recent matchups have been won by the team batting first.
- Matches Played: 24
- Won by Delhi Capitals: 10
- Won by Sunrisers Hyderabad: 13
- Tied: 1
- No Result: 0
- First-ever Fixture: April 12, 2013
- Most-recent Fixture: April 20, 2024
Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
With an afternoon start on a batting-friendly pitch, a 200-plus total in the first innings should be the benchmark. In IPL history, teams batting first have won half of the matches played in Visakhapatnam. The last three first-innings scores at this venue were 191, 272, and 209.
The previous game in Vizag saw a boundary fest, with 34 fours and 29 sixes, indicating another tough outing for the bowlers. Weather conditions are expected to remain clear throughout, with no rain forecast. Temperatures will stay in the 30s, though the evening breeze should provide some respite for the team fielding second.
Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Team News and Predicted XI
Delhi Capitals – Team News
With KL Rahul set to make his DC debut, he is expected to slot in at No. 4, likely replacing Sameer Rizvi in the middle order. However, DC also have the option to retain Rizvi, drop Fraser-McGurk, and bring in fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera. Mukesh Kumar’s availability remains uncertain after sustaining an ankle sprain against LSG, while T Natarajan, still recovering from a shoulder issue, is unlikely to feature against his former team. If Mukesh is ruled out, Darshan Nalkande could step in.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc, now playing for KKR, had success against SRH’s openers last season, dismissing both within 11 balls while conceding just seven runs. He will be eager to replicate that early impact once again.
Delhi Capitals – Predicted XI
- Jake Fraser-McGurk
- Faf du Plessis
- Abishek Porel (wk)
- KL Rahul
- Axar Patel (capt)
- Tristan Stubbs
- Ashutosh Sharma
- Vipraj Nigam
- Mitchell Starc
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohit Sharma
- Mukesh Kumar/Darshan Nalkande
Sunrisers Hyderabad – Team News
Sunrisers Hyderabad have no injury concerns and are likely to field an unchanged XI. Skipper Pat Cummins made no alterations after their opening game, and he may stick with the same combination once again.
Kuldeep Yadav has yet to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen in T20s, with the batter scoring 39 runs off 22 deliveries against him. However, Kuldeep has fared better against the SRH top order, having dismissed Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan twice each, as well as Travis Head once. DC might consider deploying him earlier in the innings to exploit these matchups.
Sunrisers Hyderabad – Predicted XI
- Abhishek Sharma
- Travis Head
- Ishan Kishan
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Heinrich Klaasen (wk)
- Aniket Verma
- Abhinav Manohar
- Pat Cummins
- Harshal Patel
- Mohammed Shami
- Simarjeet Singh
- Adam Zampa
Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Players To Watch Out For
Kuldeep Yadav (Delhi Capitals)
In last season’s clash against SRH in Delhi, Kuldeep Yadav had a rough start, conceding four sixes in his first seven deliveries to Abhishek Sharma. However, he bounced back by dismissing Abhishek, Travis Head, Aiden Markram, and Nitish Kumar Reddy—three of whom will feature on Saturday. Despite finishing with figures of 4 for 55 in four overs, his wickets helped prevent SRH from surpassing their total of 266.
Head, in particular, has shown vulnerability against left-arm wrist spin, having been dismissed twice in nine IPL deliveries by that type of bowling. If he gets off to a flying start, Kuldeep could be introduced early to counter him. As LSG demonstrated, the key to restricting SRH’s destructive batting lineup is taking wickets at regular intervals.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Although SRH will be playing this as an “away” fixture in Visakhapatnam, Nitish Kumar Reddy will feel right at home in his birthplace. SRH see him as a long-term prospect, and he has begun the season with steady contributions of 32 and 30.
Batting at No. 4, he provides the perfect balance between Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen, posing a significant threat against spin—evident from his impressive IPL strike rate of 170.19 since the start of 2024.
Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss: Delhi Capitals win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 60-70
- Sunrisers Hyderabad Total: 210-220
- Match Result: Delhi Capitals win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss: Sunrisers Hyderabad win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 50-60
- Delhi Capitals Total: 200-210
- Match Result: Sunrisers Hyderabad win the match
When and Where To Watch Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The Indian Premier League 2025 clash between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad is set to begin at 3:30 PM IST on Sunday, March 30, at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network and will also be available for live streaming on JioHotstar for FREE.
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FAQs
What is Delhi Capitals’ head-to-head record against Sunrisers Hyderabad?
SRH lead the head-to-head with 13 wins to DC’s 10 in 24 matches, with one game tied.
Who is expected to replace Sameer Rizvi in the Delhi Capitals lineup?
KL Rahul is set to make his DC debut and is likely to replace Rizvi in the middle order.
What are the key player matchups for DC vs SRH?
Kuldeep Yadav has dismissed Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan twice each, while Travis Head has struggled against left-arm wrist spin in the IPL.
How has Nitish Kumar Reddy performed this season for SRH?
He has scored 32 and 30 in his first two games and boasts a strike rate of 170.19 against spin in the IPL since 2024.
What are the pitch and weather conditions for the DC vs SRH match in Visakhapatnam?
A batting-friendly track is expected, with 200+ first-innings totals likely. The weather is clear, with temperatures in the 30s and an evening breeze offering some relief.
