Whoever wins this game will shoot to the top position. But there is more to the results in this game. It isn’t really a rivalry, but both cities’ homeboys now play as the best batters for the opposite teams. KL Rahul from Bengaluru is leading the runs chart for DC, while Virat Kohli from Delhi is doing the same for RCB. And that’s not all, both batters are 60-odd runs apart on the Orange Cap list. While the chances of grabbing the Orange Cap in this game aren’t too high for Rahul, Kohli is within an arm’s distance of doing so.
Plenty of subplots linger near as both sides prepare to take on each other in Delhi. One thing that would keep both sides relaxed is that there is currently no threat jeopardising their playoff chances. Unless something goes horribly wrong for either side in the remaining games, their form will likely carry them to the next stage without any hiccups.
Team Overview:
The Delhi crowd does not make any effort whatsoever to hide their love for the local boy, Virat Kohli. The biggest Ranji crowd in memory showed up to celebrate Kohli’s return to the domestic first-class competition, and they do so in the IPL as well, regardless of which team he plays for. His form this season calls to be celebrated as well. He has averaged 65.33 while striking at a rate of 144. Most of the runs churned from his blade came in winning causes, and stay, largely, the reason behind RCB’s dominance. But Kohli’s gargantuan fan following and stature should take nothing away from how the rest of RCB’s batters have fared. Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, and Rajat Patidar have given the side the stability it needed. Josh Hazlewood is just one wicket away from taking the Purple Cap from Prasidh Krishna, and if all goes as it should, this game should be it for the Aussie bowler.
Faf du Plessis is set to make a return after he has recovered fully. Jake Fraser-McGurk was benched in the last game after his string of bad runs refused to snap. If that happens, he will open with Abhishek Porel, with Karun Nair coming in at the first fall. But they will need some input from the batters in the middle. Axar Patel seems to be picking up the pace as he scored three 30-plus runs in the most recent games. Kuldeep Yadav and Mitchell Starc will lead the attack for DC. They will, however, need to do better in the powerplay, as DC’s bowlers average the third-worst in powerplays this season.
Head-to-Head Matches:
RCB and DC have faced off in 33 matches, with RCB leading the chart with 20 wins. DC have won 12 games, and one match ended in a tie.
Weather and Pitch Report:
Kuldeep Yadav has the second-highest wickets at Kotla, and that explains the love of the venue for leg-spinners. This season, in T20 games played here, the 200-run mark was only breached once, though teams were seen to be lurking near it. The dew factor will assist the team batting second a lot, so the toss-winning captain will look to bowl first.
Prediction:
It’s difficult to predict who will be the better side when both sides are really at par with each other. However, DC might use the home venue to their advantage.
Where to Watch:
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
Pakistan: Tapmad
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
