<p>Rohit Sharma's defending champions Mumbai Indians are aiming for a record-extending fifth title in the Indian Premier League final on Tuesday but Delhi Capitals under Shreyas Iyer are threatening a changing of the guard.</p>.<p>The 13th IPL final will be played in an eerily empty Dubai stadium because of the coronavirus pandemic but back home a TV audience of more than 200 million are expected to watch the showdown.</p>.<p>Delhi outplayed Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday to reach their first final, meaning a new name could be added to the trophy if the Ricky Ponting-coached Capitals beat Mumbai, who lifted it in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019.</p>.<p>Led by the 25-year-old Iyer and mentored by the Australian great Ponting, Delhi have been the surprise package of 2020, though their path to the final was not smooth.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/cricket/ipl/ipl-2020-shikhar-dhawan-may-not-be-captain-but-is-a-leader-for-delhi-capitals-marcus-stoinis-913263.html">IPL 2020 | Shikhar Dhawan may not be captain but is a leader for Delhi Capitals: Marcus Stoinis</a></strong></p>.<p>They started the season brilliantly, winning seven of their first nine games and briefly battling Mumbai for top place in the league, before four straight defeats.</p>.<p>They lost all three of their matches against Sharma's Mumbai, including the first playoff match last Thursday.</p>.<p>The Mumbai-born Iyer said Delhi, with Shikhar Dhawan shining with the bat and the impressive pace bowling Kagiso Rabada, had now to hold their nerve to counter Mumbai's big match experience.</p>.<p>"This has been a rollercoaster. A lot of ups and downs. We have stuck together like a family," Iyer said after his team's 17-run win over Hyderabad in the final playoff match took them to the final.</p>.<p>"A lot of responsibility comes as a captain, and on top of that you have to maintain consistency as a batsman.</p>.<p>"In the next game too, we have to play freely and maintain our temperament."</p>.<p>Iyer's inconsistent batting form has been a cause for concern but Dhawan has hit two centuries while Australia's Marcus Stoinis and West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer have contributed valuable power play runs.</p>.<p>Rabada leads the IPL bowling chart with 29 wickets while fellow South African Anrich Nortje set the IPL record for the fastest single ball at 97 miles an hour.</p>.<p>Stoinis, who took three wickets and scored 38 in Sunday's victory, said Delhi at their best would be able to beat Mumbai, who he called a "great team".</p>.<p>Ponting was part of the Sharma-led Mumbai team which won the first of their four titles seven years ago.</p>.<p>Sharma, 33, was appointed skipper midway through the 2013 season after Ponting stepped down due to poor form and has since grown into his role as a leader, even being touted as a rival to Virat Kohli as captain of India's limited-overs teams.</p>.<p>Sharma is not in the best of form with the bat and missed a few games because of a hamstring injury which could mean he misses India's upcoming tour of Australia.</p>.<p>But his team remain favourites against Delhi with a strong batting line-up that includes rising star Ishan Kishan, South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav.</p>.<p>The pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, who moved from Delhi Capitals this year, have shared 49 wickets in their impressive run to the final.</p>.<p>"Having such a versatile squad it gives me the luxury to change the batting order and rotate the bowlers," Sharma said after the win against Delhi in the opening play-off.</p>.<p>"When you have bowlers like Bumrah, it makes your life easy. And Bumrah and Boult are in top form."</p>
<p>Rohit Sharma's defending champions Mumbai Indians are aiming for a record-extending fifth title in the Indian Premier League final on Tuesday but Delhi Capitals under Shreyas Iyer are threatening a changing of the guard.</p>.<p>The 13th IPL final will be played in an eerily empty Dubai stadium because of the coronavirus pandemic but back home a TV audience of more than 200 million are expected to watch the showdown.</p>.<p>Delhi outplayed Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday to reach their first final, meaning a new name could be added to the trophy if the Ricky Ponting-coached Capitals beat Mumbai, who lifted it in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019.</p>.<p>Led by the 25-year-old Iyer and mentored by the Australian great Ponting, Delhi have been the surprise package of 2020, though their path to the final was not smooth.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/cricket/ipl/ipl-2020-shikhar-dhawan-may-not-be-captain-but-is-a-leader-for-delhi-capitals-marcus-stoinis-913263.html">IPL 2020 | Shikhar Dhawan may not be captain but is a leader for Delhi Capitals: Marcus Stoinis</a></strong></p>.<p>They started the season brilliantly, winning seven of their first nine games and briefly battling Mumbai for top place in the league, before four straight defeats.</p>.<p>They lost all three of their matches against Sharma's Mumbai, including the first playoff match last Thursday.</p>.<p>The Mumbai-born Iyer said Delhi, with Shikhar Dhawan shining with the bat and the impressive pace bowling Kagiso Rabada, had now to hold their nerve to counter Mumbai's big match experience.</p>.<p>"This has been a rollercoaster. A lot of ups and downs. We have stuck together like a family," Iyer said after his team's 17-run win over Hyderabad in the final playoff match took them to the final.</p>.<p>"A lot of responsibility comes as a captain, and on top of that you have to maintain consistency as a batsman.</p>.<p>"In the next game too, we have to play freely and maintain our temperament."</p>.<p>Iyer's inconsistent batting form has been a cause for concern but Dhawan has hit two centuries while Australia's Marcus Stoinis and West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer have contributed valuable power play runs.</p>.<p>Rabada leads the IPL bowling chart with 29 wickets while fellow South African Anrich Nortje set the IPL record for the fastest single ball at 97 miles an hour.</p>.<p>Stoinis, who took three wickets and scored 38 in Sunday's victory, said Delhi at their best would be able to beat Mumbai, who he called a "great team".</p>.<p>Ponting was part of the Sharma-led Mumbai team which won the first of their four titles seven years ago.</p>.<p>Sharma, 33, was appointed skipper midway through the 2013 season after Ponting stepped down due to poor form and has since grown into his role as a leader, even being touted as a rival to Virat Kohli as captain of India's limited-overs teams.</p>.<p>Sharma is not in the best of form with the bat and missed a few games because of a hamstring injury which could mean he misses India's upcoming tour of Australia.</p>.<p>But his team remain favourites against Delhi with a strong batting line-up that includes rising star Ishan Kishan, South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav.</p>.<p>The pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, who moved from Delhi Capitals this year, have shared 49 wickets in their impressive run to the final.</p>.<p>"Having such a versatile squad it gives me the luxury to change the batting order and rotate the bowlers," Sharma said after the win against Delhi in the opening play-off.</p>.<p>"When you have bowlers like Bumrah, it makes your life easy. And Bumrah and Boult are in top form."</p>