Delhi Capitals have blown hot and cold in both their games. They have won 1 and lost 1 match. DC were authoritative in their win against CSK. They were in a strong position against RR in their second game as well. But few questionable tactics led them to lose the game they ideally should have won. DC too will be eager to get back to winning ways as quickly as possible.
Punjab Kings notched up a thrilling win against Rajasthan Royals in their opening game. PK posted a mammoth score of 221 on board and won the game by 4 runs. Skipper KL Rahul scored a fine 91 in 50 balls while Chris Gayle scored 40 off 28 balls to lay the foundation. It was Deepak Hooda though who pushed the score to its final destination. His 28 ball blitz shook RR and they could never really recover from that. Hooda smashed 64 and scored 6 sixes in his stay. PK couldn’t even score half of it against CSK on Friday. CSK blew away their top-order and PK had no answers. The Punjab Kings will be keen to get their campaign back on track against DC.
DC vs PK: Favourites?
DC looked dominant in their win against CSK in their opening game. They went on to lose a close game against RR in their second match. DC will love to get back to winning ways.
PK began the tournament with a thrilling win over RR. But they catapulted meekly against CSK in their second game. They will want to arrest the slide and get their campaign back on track.
Which players will be match-winners in this game?
Rishabh Pant looked in fine form in the match against RR. He will be crucial to DC’s chances.
KL Rahul scored a brilliant 91 in the opening game. He will be eager to make a telling contribution.
X-factor player:
Prithvi Shaw has been in red hot form in the domestic tournament this year. He will be raring to go against PK.
Nicholas Pooran has registered two successive ducks he will be keen to make amends in this game.
Probable Playing XI:
Delhi Capitals predicted XI:
Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant (&WK), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Woakes, Lalit Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Umesh Yadav, Avesh Khan
Punjab Kings predicted XI:
KL Rahul (WK), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, Murugan Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh
What do stats say about DC vs PK?
DC and PK have played 26 IPL games against each other.
DC has won 11 matches. PK has won 15 games.
DC’s highest score against PK is 231. PK’s highest score against DC is 202.
DC’s lowest score against PK is 67. PK’s lowest score against DC is 104.
Pitch:
Wankhede wicket has been a batting beauty. The initial few overs have been sticky and teams have found it difficult to counter the seam and swing on offer. If teams can manage the first powerplay without losing wickets upfront, then there is a huge score for taking.
Weather Report:
A high of 33 degrees and a low of 27 degrees is expected. There are no chances of rain. Dew might play a big factor and teams will prefer to chase under such weather conditions.
Ground stats:
175 is the average score at this venue.
StumpsandBails verdict:
It is a battle of match-winners between the two teams. DC will be well served with the return of Anrich Nortje and this tilts the balance in their favour.
