Apr 16: Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 27th Match, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Safe XI: Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, David Warner, Virat Kohli, Rovman Powell, Glenn Maxwell (capt), Shahbaz Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav, Wanindu Hasaranga, Khaleel Ahmed (vice-capt), Josh Hazlewood
Captain: Glenn Maxwell
Royal Challengers' leading run-scorer last season, Maxwell missed the start of this edition but scored an 11-ball 26 in his second match, against Chennai Super Kings. He was in brilliant form in the recent BBL, too, finishing atop the run chart for Melbourne Stars with 468 runs, a sensational 154 not out off 64 balls included, in 13 outings at a strike rate of 159.73.
Vice-captain: Khaleel Ahmed
After an indifferent last two seasons in the IPL, Sunrisers released Khaleel, which proved a blessing for Capitals given the left-arm seamer has been in fine form for them. He has picked up seven wickets in three outings at an economy of 7.16. He took a three-wicket haul the last time he played against Royal Challengers as well as in his last outing at the Wankhede Stadium.
Hot picks
Wanindu Hasaranga: The leading wicket-taker for Royal Challengers this season, spin-bowling allrounder Hasaranga has picked up ten wickets in five outings, joint-most in this edition. He struck 71 (47) and 34 (21) in the 2021 T20 World Cup, which makes him a strong contender to get you points with the bat as well.
David Warner: The only player to win the Orange Cap thrice in IPL history, Warner showed off his big-hitting chops in his 45-ball 61 against Knight Riders. Against one of his favourite oppositions, Royal Challengers, he has 754 runs in 19 innings to his name, at an average of 44.35 and a strike rate of 160.43.
Differential picks
Shahbaz Ahmed: The Bengal allrounder has been one of the most improved players in this edition of IPL. He starred with the bat for Royal Challengers, scoring 41 (27), 45 (26) and 27 (20) in the three innings he batted. Though he is yet to pick up a wicket this season, his seven strikes in six outings at the 2021-22 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy should bode well for his IPL side.
Josh Hazlewood: The tall Australian, ranked No. 3 in the ICC T20I bowler's rankings, is the only pacer in the top five of that list. In his last ten outings for Australia in T20Is, he has picked up 19 wickets. In the IPL last season, he took 2 for 29 and 1 for 27 against Capitals.
High-risk XI: Dinesh Karthik (vice-capt), Faf du Plessis, Prithvi Shaw, Suyash Prabhudessai, Glenn Maxwell, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Wanindu Hasaranga (capt), Khaleel Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Josh Hazlewood