Axar Patel ruled out sick, Du Plessis takes charge in do-or-die Wankhede duel

The stage is set for a high-stakes encounter at the Wankhede Stadium as Delhi Capitals opted to field first against Mumbai Indians in a virtual knockout clash of IPL 2025. With a coveted playoff spot up for grabs, the clash has taken on immense significance for both franchises.

Delhi’s challenge grew steeper with the absence of their regular captain, Axar Patel, who was ruled out due to illness. Stand-in skipper Faf du Plessis confirmed the news at the toss: “He has been really sick in the last two days. We`ll miss him today. Axar is two players and it`s difficult to replace him. We`ll see how it goes.”

Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, made a tactical switch by including Mitchell Santner in place of Corbin Bosch to strengthen their bowling options.

The pressure intensified after Sunrisers Hyderabad’s comprehensive six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants on Monday, which cemented playoff spots for Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers. That result has left Mumbai and Delhi as the only teams still in contention for the final playoff berth.

Currently, Mumbai sit on 14 points, just one ahead of Delhi, who are on 13. The equation is simple for MI, a win will take them to 16 points and secure safe passage into the knockouts. For DC, the path is narrower: they must win both remaining fixtures, including their last league game against Punjab Kings on May 24, to stay alive in the tournament.

However, weather threatens to overshadow the on-field drama. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a severe weather alert for Mumbai, predicting thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain, lightning, and gusty winds reaching up to 60 km/h. A washout would result in a shared point, an outcome that could end Delhi’s campaign and make Mumbai’s route more complex, depending on net run rates and other results.

Mumbai head into this clash as the more settled and in-form outfit. Despite a narrow defeat to Gujarat Titans in their previous outing, the five-time champions had earlier stitched together six consecutive wins. Under the guidance of Mahela Jayawardene, their squad exudes balance, experience, and firepower in both batting and bowling departments.

Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, have endured a turbulent season. After a strong start, winning five of their first six matches, their campaign has derailed in recent weeks. Kuldeep Yadav has been a rare bright spot with 12 wickets, but their bowling unit overall has lacked consistency. Axar Patel’s underwhelming returns with both bat and ball have only compounded their troubles.

MI vs DC: Teams

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Faf du Plessis(c), Abishek Porel(w), Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Tristan Stubbs, Dushmantha Chameera, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Mukesh Kumar

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Ryan Rickelton(w), Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

This article first appeared on Mid Day