Delhi Capitals face uphill task against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 2 – Reason is THIS number

Delhi Capitals finally broke their 11-year jinx in the IPL playoffs by finally winning a game at this stage during the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Prithvi Shaw’s fifty and Rishabh Pant’s aggressive 21-ball 49 helped Delhi Capitals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by two wickets to qualify for the second qualifier where they will take on Chennai Super Kings, who had lost to Mumbai Indians in the second qualifier. A win for Delhi Capitals will take them to their maiden final where they will take on Mumbai Indians, the three-time IPL champions who are looking good for an unprecedented fourth title.

Having overcome their playoff jinx, Delhi Capitals will be aiming to break another jinx which is against Chennai Super Kings. In the last 12 encounters stretching back to the 2012 edition of the Indian Premier League, Delhi Capitals have won just two and lost 10 encounters, including seven on the trot from IPL 2012 to 2015. In the 2019 edition of the tournament, Delhi Capitals have lost twice to Chennai Super Kings including their previous encounter at the MA Chidambaram stadium by 80 runs.

RELATED

Delhi Capitals’ woeful record against Chennai Super Kings will give them low confidence heading into the second qualifier. After beating Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets on April 10 in the 2012 IPL at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi Capitals embarked on a losing streak. They were hammered by nine wickets at Chepauk and were blown away by Murali Vijay’s century as they lost the second qualifier.

In the 2013 Indian Premier League, Delhi Capitals lost both encounters by 86 runs and 23 runs respectively. In 2014, they were hammered by 93 runs and eight wickets while in 2015, they won the first encounter at the MA Chidambaram stadium by three wickets but Delhi Capitals finally ended their losing streak with a six-wicket win at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh stadium in Raipur.

After a two-year gap, Chennai Super Kings returned and Delhi Capitals lost to MS Dhoni’s side by 13 runs in the encounter in Pune before the franchise pulled it back with a 34-run win in the second encounter at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Having lost two games, Delhi Capitals will be hoping that they can avoid a 2012-like slip-up and progress to the final for the first time.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Delhi Capitals have won only two out of their past 12 encounters against Chennai Super Kings.
• Delhi Capitals have lost both their encounters against Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2019.
• Delhi Capitals won their first playoff game in IPL 2019 by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad.