KKR Vs DC, Match Preview
A win will guarantee Delhi a spot in the playoffs. They are already in, but still have mathematical chances of going out. A win will erase all doubts, and allow them to be the first side in the playoffs. A couple more wins will help them seal a top two spot, giving them two chances at the finals.
Kolkata Knight Riders are scripting a brilliant comeback. They beat two strong teams early in the second leg, but lost bravely to Chennai. They fought back in a game, that was nowhere for them, and nearly defended four in the final over. The bowling is going well, and the top-order is doing a brilliant job. Venkatesh Iyer has been a relavation this season, and Rahul Tripathi has also gone well.
Another positive for KKR is the performance of Dinesh Karthik. He finally got to bat against Chennai, and did a great job finishing the innings. After making a name for himself as a commentator, Karthik has now comeback brilliantly with the bat.
The one concern for KKR is the form of their captain. He is struggling for runs, and has been out of form for a considerable amount of time. He is struggling to find his rhythm and could do with some more time in the middle. Morgan has been coming to bat up the order, but hasn’t given himself time to get settled, which may help him.
KKR Vs DC, Team News
Andre Russell hurt his hamstring, and was visibly tired in the four’o clock game against Chennai. His inclusion for the next fixture in uncertain as the extent of his hamstring injury is uncertain. In case he doesn’t play, KKR have Ben Cutting, who can come in as a like for like replacement. They also have the chance to bolster their spin attack by bringing in Shakib Al Hasan.
Delhi only used three overseas players in the absence of Marcus Stoinis. They played Lalit Yadav in a bid to strengthen the bowling. Marcus Stoinis is unlikely for the next fixture as well, an that could give Yadav another go. They also have Sam Billings and Steve Smith in the side, and either may get an opportunity if Delhi think they can do without an extra bowler.
KKR Vs DC, Predicted XIs
Delhi Capitals: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt/wk), 5 Lalit Yadav, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Avesh Khan
Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Nitish Rana, 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Varun Chakravarthy
KKR Vs DC, Players to Watch out for
Eoin Morgan
Eoin Morgan’s numbers for KKR and England hasn’t been impressive. He is struggling to spend time at the wicket, and could do better if he looks to play himself in. The rhythm has been missing, and the shots haven’t calm of the bat fluently. He is still a dangerous player, and will be keen to prove himself as a captain who could make an influence with the bat. With a lot of doubts over his form, Eoin Morgan will have to work out a way to answer his critics.
Anrich Nortje
Anrich Nortje has been brilliant in the second leg. He didn’t play much in the first leg, but the speedster has been cranking it up in the last two games. His inclusion makes the pace attack look strong, and the spinners are also thriving with strong bowlers up front. With him, Avesh Khan and Kagiso Rabada, DC has some pure pace, and could scare batters with ease.
KKR Vs DC, Pitch and conditions
The Sharjah pitch isn’t as easy as it was last year. The surface is soft, has less grass on it, and more footmarks. There is a lot of dryness in the surface, and spinners are finding some incredible grip on the surface. The small boundaries still keep batters in the game, but finding the big shots are not as easy with the ball not flowing on to the bat.