Mumbai vs Delhi: Biggest threat for Delhi batsmen identified and it is NOT Bumrah

The Dream11 IPL 2020 playoffs kick off on Thursday, November 5, with Mumbai taking on Delhi in Qualifier 1. The defending champions are aiming for a record 5th crown, while Delhi's aim is to break their 13-year wait for title glory. While the Mumbai vs Delhi clash has a lot of potential matchups, it will be interesting to see how Shreyas Iyer and co negotiate the four-time champions' attack.

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Mumbai vs Delhi: Krunal Pandya key for defending champions 

Delhi boast a quality line-up with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant all having the ability to turn a game on its head with a bat in hand. While Rohit Sharma will rely on star bowler Jasprit Bumrah to deliver the goods, the onus could surprisingly be on Krunal Pandya on Thursday. The left-arm spinner has the upper hand on the opposition's batting, according to stats from ESPN Cricinfo. 

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None of the Delhi batsman - bar Marcus Stoinis and Shimron Hetmyer - have a strike rate above 120 while playing the Mumbai all-rounder. Furthermore, the 29-year-old has got the better of Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant twice each, while also scalping the wicket of Shreyas Iyer once.

While Hetmyer and Stoinis have scored at S/Rs of 140 and 185 respectively against the Mumbai star, they have played only 16 deliveries of his left-arm spin combined. Mumbai will hope that Krunal Pandya can showcase his best form in the Dream11 IPL 2020 playoffs in what has been a lacklustre season for the all-rounder.

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In 14 games this season, the 29-year-old has aggregated just the 95 runs with the bat, while scalping five wickets with a ball in hand. Krunal Pandya does have a habit of turning up in big games and his record against Delhi is likely to add more incisiveness to the tournament's best bowling attack.

Jasprit Bumrah has led the pack for the defending champions and is second in the leading wicket-takers list, only behind Delhi's Kagiso Rabada. The Team India star has been well complemented by New Zealand's Trent Boult, who has scalped 20 wickets this season. Rahul Chahar is another Mumbai player in the list of top 10 wicket-takers, with the wily leg-spinner having accounted for 15 dismissals so far in the Dream11 IPL 2020. 

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(Image Courtesy: Jasprit Bumrah, Krunal Pandya Instagram)