What The two points in Match 49 of VIVO IPL 2016 will be more crucial for the Delhi Daredevils than for their opponents Rising Pune Supergiants. Rising Pune Supergiants, who are out of contention from qualifying for the Playoffs, though will be just as desperate for a win as their opponents. They will want to win because there is more than just pride at stake. Confidence can do funny things to sportsmen and it is therefore RPS will want to win just to reaffirm to themselves first, and then to their owners and fans, that they belong at this level. It is not yet do-or-die situation for DD who have 12 points from 11 matches. They need to win at least two of their remaining three matches to stand a chance of finishing among the top four. DD need a much-improved performance from their match against the Mumbai Indians, when they were massacred by Krunal Pandya, before the batting line-up succumbed under the pressure of the mountain of runs they had to chase. When 17 May 2016, 2000 Hrs IST Where ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam Weather Temperature: Max 32°c, Min 30°c Humidity: Max 72% Wind: 20kmph The Protagonists 199 runs separates Ajinkya Rahane from Rising Pune Supergiants’ next highest run-getter from those available to the team currently; that illustrates why he will be the key character in the Rising Pune Supergiants batting plans. The soon-to-be 28-year old is not only a prolific run-scorer, but can also drop anchor and allow the stroke-makers to flourish around him. Usman Khawaja too is an important player at the top; the 29-year old needs to play those big knocks, on the back of which he was called up to the RPS line-up as a replacement player. Quinton de Kock is the Delhi Daredevils’ top run-getter this season; the left-hander has scored 381 runs in 10 outings. His scores in the last four innings read 46, 52, 44 and 40. Delhi Daredevils will not only want the South African, who has been at the receiving end of a couple of rough umpiring decisions in recent times, to extend his consistent run, but expect him to convert it to a big score. Among the bowlers, skipper Zaheer Khan and Chris Morris will play important roles with the ball. Head to Head In the one meeting between RPS and DD earlier this season, played at the Feroz Shah Kotla, the former chased down 163 to win by 7 wickets. Trivia 4 of Delhi Daredevils’ six wins in VIVO IPL 2016 have been in run-chases. No bowler has dismissed the RPS captain MS Dhoni more often than his opposite number Zaheer Khan; the left-arm quick has dismissed Dhoni on 7 occasions. 3 of the four VIVO IPL 2016 matches played at Visakhapatnam have been won by the team batting first. What Next

Rising Pune Supergiants’ next fixture will be their last outing of VIVO IPL 2016; they will remain in Visakhapatnam and wind up their campaign with a fixture against Kings XI Punjab on May 21. The Delhi Daredevils meanwhile head to their adopted home ground – Naya Raipur – for the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, scheduled to be played on May 20.