Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) have met once before this season as well. But it wasn’t a reverse fixture. Both teams and the fans in the ground in Dharamsala had to evacuate before the game even reached halfway. The game was abandoned due to heightened cross-border tensions between Pakistan and India, which led to the tournament getting suspended too.
Everything is back to normal now, in fact, has been for quite some time. But for normalcy to fully return, a full game between both sides has to take place, and that’s exactly what Jaipur will witness when these sides face off against one another, at a venue which isn’t really any side’s home.
Things were still very blurry when these teams were gearing up to play their last game. DC were still in contention to end in the top four and were separated by just one win and ticks of NRR. However, both teams were miles apart in their form. And that’s what stunned DC out of the race.
PBKS, on the other hand, are summitting heights they haven’t in a while. They have lost only three games so far, which is the least for any team this season, and are in second place, very likely heading for a top-two finish.
DC, meanwhile, have lost five of their last six completed matches, which would have been six in seven had Hyderabad rain not saved them from a probable defeat after they set up a target of 133. This is their last fixture of the season. As much as they would love a win to cap their campaign, PBKS seem in no mood to let their glory run be tainted.
Team Overview:
They say a chain is as strong as its weakest link. Going by this maxim, Punjab Kings (PBKS) can rest assured they have a pretty strong lineup. In Jaipur, in their last game against Rajasthan Royals (RR), they found heroes where they neither expected nor ever looked. Nehal Wadhera and Harpreet Brar aren’t names you put on the radar as opposition. But both carved their names on a day when their usual protagonist didn’t show up.
Punjab, batting first, lost three wickets within the powerplay, including Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, two of their highest run-scorers this year. Next came Nehal Wadhera, who played as if he didn’t see the walls crumbling around him. The left-handed batter walked in and went off the hook from the get-go. He smashed every RR bowler that came his way, fizzled out the pressure, and shifted the panic back to Rajasthan. Similarly, Shashank Singh spun the gold to take PBKS to a 219-run total.
Joining forces with Marco Jansen and Azmatullah Omarzai, Brar ran through the RR lineup to give them the sort of confidence that is utterly invaluable if it comes right before events as high-stakes as playoffs. Omarzai, however, might be in line to give up his spot for Marcus Stoinis, who, along with Josh Inglis and Kyle Jamieson, has rejoined the squad. With Shreyas Iyer also likely to miss the game, Inglis’ chances to play in this game are strong.
DC have lost two games since the resumption of the IPL, and both were more crushing than the next. Gujarat Titans (GT) made a farce out of their 200-run target, followed by Mumbai Indians (MI) causing them to fall like a house of cards. What has been their problem since their win streak ended is the lack of impactful scores from their batters as a whole. It’s either one player saving the day or the entire team losing its momentum.
This, paired with Mitchell Starc’s absence, hurt the bowling lineup in ways unimaginable.
Head-to-Head Matches:
Punjab Kings and DC have played a total of 33 IPL games, out of which Punjab have won 18 and lost 15 at the hands of Delhi.
Weather and Pitch Report:
Both PBKS and RR scored more than 200 runs in their last game in Jaipur, and this has pretty much been what the venue is about this season: high scores. Spinners usually find more success here than pacers, given the surface doesn’t offer much pace and bounce, and most pacers have to rely on slower balls like cutters.
Prediction:
PBKS will look to make merry with the home advantage while they can, and give a boost to their playoff chances.
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
