When teams were struggling to settle in with the growing pressure of the Indian Premier League this year, Delhi Capitals (DC) were casually thrashing everyone left, right, and center. It took a resurgent Mumbai Indians (MI) to halt their juggernaut, and DC haven’t quite been the same since. They have lost two of their four games after that MI Clash, and one of their victories came by a whisker through a Super Over.
The last time Delhi faced Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was exactly a year ago. Both sides met in Eden Gardens, with the home team comfortably defeating DC by seven wickets. KKR might not be the same anymore, with their dismal outings bringing them far fewer results than the standards they set last season. DC, however, are more or less the same at this point in the league, struggling similarly as they had last time. What they have this year is a fiery start to the campaign, which might give Axar Patel some relief amidst their chaotic runs lately
Team Overview:
DC players seem to have lost the plot midway through the season. Before their winning streak broke, their batters were averaging nearly 32 while striking at almost 160. But since then average has dipped to 26. Faf du Plessis’ return was thought to bring some reprieve for them, but it’s unrealistic to expect him to tee off on his first game back.
In addition to the misfiring batters, their bowlers, who started the season on a strong note, have seen a steady decline. Kuldeep Yadav, Vipraj Nigam, and Mitchell Starc, who practically carried the team in the first half, seem to be swaying in the wrong direction, struggling both with economy and breakthroughs in the recent outings. That said, the problems don’t appear unfixable. DC still have the right personnel to plot a comeback. Although their home ground has not particularly been kind to them, with them winning only one game, and that too via Super Over here, DC will be keen to change that in front of their home crowd on Tuesday.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), meanwhile, were saved from another disgrace by rain in their last game. Before the washout, they had lost two back-to-back games. Their problems this season start right from the top, with Quinton de Kock’s bat refusing to get going in most of their games this year. Rahmanullah Gurbaz came in his place and has played only one innings so far. With Sunil Narine at the other end, KKR can bank their hopes on the openers to inspire some confidence into their campaign. The remaining lineup has not been consistent enough to compete with the big hitters across the teams. They currently have the record of scoring the second-fewest runs per over this year, with their best batter averaging just 39. In the bowling department, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, and Vaibhav Arora have done reasonably well, but they are still nowhere near the top.
Head-to-Head Matches:
Of 34 matches between both teams, KKR have won 18 games while DC follow closely with 16 wins.
Weather and Pitch Report:
The outfield in Delhi is quick, assisting the batsmen in hitting the boundaries with ease, while also giving pacers their share of assistance with the new ball. The boundaries are not on the bigger side, making stroke-making more rewarding once the match progresses. Dew is very likely to play a role in the second half of the match, which means teams batting first will look to post a sizeable total to give their bowlers something to work with while defending.
Prediction:
Both teams are struggling to get things right currently, but DC look likely to course-correct in time.
Where to Watch:
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
UK: Sky Sports, SkyGo
USA: Willow TV
Australia: Kayo TV, FoxTel Go
Bangladesh: T Sports, Toffee app
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
Afghanistan: ATN
South Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog
MENA: Cricbuzz
