Picking the best DC-SRH playing XI for IPL 2024 ft. Mukesh Kumar, Travis Head

Delhi Capitals (DC) face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in match number 35 of IPL 2024 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday, April 20.

DC had a mixed run in the first half, winning three and losing four of their seven matches. SRH have done much better in that context, registering wins in four of six games.

Delhi Capitals have won their last two matches. After beating Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets, they registered victory by the same margin against Gujarat Titans. Bowling first against GT, they bundled out the opposition for 89 in 17.3 overs before chasing down the target in 8.5 overs.

In their previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad broke their own record for the highest IPL total. Batting first, SRH put up 287-3 before staving off some stiff resistance from RCB to register a 25-run win.

DC have won 11 games against SRH and lost 12. As the teams gear up for Saturday's battle, we pick a combined XI of both sides for IPL 2024:

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Openers: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma

The Sunrisers Hyderabad duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma would be the openers in the combined XI.

Head has hammered 235 runs in five innings at an average of 47 and a strike rate of 199.15. The left-hander hammered 62 off 24 against Mumbai Indians. In Hyderabad's previous match against RCB, he was the Player of the Match for his 102 off 41.

Abhishek has one half-century in six innings. He slammed 63 off 23 against MI. However, the left-hander has contributed quickfire 30s in many other games. Abhishek has 211 runs at an average of 35.17 and an impressive strike rate of 197.20.

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Middle order: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Rishabh Pant (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Abdul Samad

Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Heinrich Klaasen (Pic: BCCI/ iplt20.com)

Delhi Capitals' aggressive young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk finds a place in the combined XI.

The 22-year-old Aussie slammed 55 off 35 in his debut IPL match against Lucknow Super Giants. The aggressive knock featured two fours and five sixes. Fraser-McGurk contributed 20 off 10 in the short chase against GT.

DC skipper Rishabh Pant also features in the team. The keeper-batter was the Player of the Match for his good all-round effort against Gujarat Titans. He was brilliant behind the stumps, taking two catches and effecting two stumpings. Pant was also there at the end to take Delhi home. Before that, he contributed half-centuries against Chennai and Kolkata and 41 versus Lucknow.

SRH's aggressive keeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen is having another wonderful IPL season. In six innings, he has 253 runs at an average of 63.25 and a strike rate touching 200. Klaasen kicked off IPL 2024 with half-centuries against Kolkata and Mumbai. In Hyderabad's previous game against RCB, he clubbed 67 off 31.

Hyderabad's Abdul Samad would be the finisher in the combined XI. Samad has contributed crucial cameos in his last three visits to the crease. He hit 29 off 14 against Gujarat Titans, 25 off 12 versus Punjab Kings and 37* off 10 in the run-fest against Bengaluru. Samad has a strike rate of 225.53 in IPL 2024.

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Bowlers: Pat Cummins (c), Mayank Markande, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav

Old warhorse Ishant Sharma is making an impact in IPL 2024. (Pic: BCCI/ iplt20.com)

SRH skipper Pat Cummins would lead the combined Delhi-Hyderabad XI. Under the World Cup-winning Australian captain, Sunrisers Hyderabad have looked a different team this season. Cummins has led from the front with nine wickets at an average of 21.

Delhi Capitals' Ishant Sharma and Mukesh Kumar would be Cummins' pace bowling partners in the combined DC-SRH playing XI. Veteran pacer Ishant has proved that there's still some fire left in him. He has picked up six wickets in as many matches. In Delhi's win over Gujarat, he picked up the big scalps of Shubman Gill and David Miller.

Mukesh has also done well, claiming crucial wickets while not giving away too many runs. The right-arm pacer has eight wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 15.62. He picked up 3-21 against Chennai Super Kings and 3-14 against Gujarat Titans.

Mayank Markande and Kuldeep Yadav would be the spinners in the combined DC-SRH playing XI. Hyderabad leg-spinner Markande has picked up five wickets in six matches. He claimed 2-39 against Kolkata and 2-46 in SRH's previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Kuldeep has carried his great all-format bowling form into IPL 2024 as well. In four matches, he has picked up six wickets. The left-arm wrist-spinner claimed 2-20 against Punjab and 3-20 versus Lucknow. Against Gujarat, he was economical, registering figures of 0-16 in four overs.