The tournament is slowly picking up pace. Teams are in the quest to find the right combination and momentum to surge ahead. The tournament has now moved to Ahmedabad and Delhi leg.
Punjab Kings: Form
Punjab Kings played their first 3 games at the Wankhede in Mumbai. They registered a thrilling win over Rajasthan Royals in the opening encounter. PK posted a mammoth total (221) and scraped home by 4 runs in that game. But since then the Punjab franchise have flattered to deceive. They were completely outplayed by CSK in their second game. While they went on to lose against DC even though they were in a dominant position. PK’s problems have been confounded with their captain KL Rahul’s conservative approach.
The Chennai pitch tested PK team even more. PK could score a paltry 120 batting first against SRH. They went on to lose by 9 wickets. PK came roaring back and defeated defending champions Mumbai Indians by 9 wickets. They were strangely subdued in their batting when they faced KKR. Their lack of intent cost them the game. PK roared back strongly against RCB and find themselves at 5th position in the points table. They will like to continue their winning momentum.
Delhi Capitals: Form
Delhi Capitals played their first 3 games at the Wankhede in Mumbai. The pitches there aided stroke making. DC won 2 out of their 3 games. They started with a win over CSK, lost to RR and beat PK. Their batting might helped them overhaul big targets against CSK and PK. DC struggled when the pitch offered something to the bowlers. Their struggles against RR seamers were proof of that point. DC began their Chennai sojourn with a win over MI. This win came as a shot in the arm for Delhi. They tied with SRH and later went on to win the super-over. DC went on to lose a close game against RCB and this pushed them to 3rd in the standings. They romped home comfortably with a 8-wicket win over KKR in their previous game. They sit pretty at number 2 in the points table.
PK vs DC: Favourites?
Punjab Kings finally seem to have found the right combination. They will be eager to fire in unison. They are up against one of the form teams of the tournament. DC players are freely expressing themselves. This promises to be an intriguing battle.
Which players will be match-winners in this game?
Ravi Bishnoi has been sensational in the 3 games he has played so far in IPL 2021. His economy rate of 4.75 is easily the best among bowlers who have bowled 12 overs in the league. He will challenge DC’s aggressive batsmen.
Avesh Khan has left a lasting impression this season. He is DC’s leading Indian pacer. Khan has 13 wickets at an average of 14.76 in 7 games so far. He has been economical too conceding just 7.38 runs per over.
X-factor player:
Universe Boss, Chris Gayle is due a big score this season. He has shown glimpses of his batting firepower in a couple of games. Expect Gayle to shine against DC.
Prithvi Shaw has fired on all cylinders this season. His 6 boundaries in the opening over against KKR is one of the highlights of IPL 2021. He is striking at 165 and averages a solid 38.42.
Probable Playing XI:
Punjab Kings predicted XI:
KL Rahul (WK), Mayank Agarwal/Prabhsimran Singh, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran/Dawid Malan, Shahrukh Khan, Chris Jordan, Jhye Richardson/ Riley Meredith, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Shami, Harpreet Brar
Delhi Capitals predicted XI:
Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Steve Smith/Sam Billings, Rishabh Pant (&WK), Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Avesh Khan
What do stats say about PK vs DC?
PK and DC have played 27 IPL games against each other.
PK has won 15 matches. DC has won 12 games.
PK’s highest score against DC is 202. DC’s highest score against PK is 231.
PK’s lowest score against DC is 104. DC’s lowest score against PK is 67.
Pitch:
The Ahmedabad pitch aids quality fast bowling. Bowlers who tend to hit the pitch hard might find assistance from the surface. The black and red soil pitch also has a say in the outcome of the contest. Black soil offers variable bounce and it might prove counterproductive to stroke-making.
Weather Report:
A high of 43 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:
170 is the average score at this venue.
StumpsandBails verdict:
It is a battle between PK’s resolve and DC’s red hot form. We believe DC has an edge in this game.
