Delhi Capitals’ recent loss against the Rajasthan Royals had created a lot of buzz. There were tensions between the two sides in the final over of the match before Rajasthan went on to seal the contest by 15 runs. The Capitals’ side has had five days of rest to regroup, and they are now gearing up to face the Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday evening. The Kolkata side is also under huge pressure to get back on track in their quest for a top-four finish in the IPL 2022 standings.
Team News: Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Delhi have six points from seven matches, and they have seven more matches to be played in the league phase. The Capitals' team is in the seventh position with a best net run rate of 0.715. Delhi certainly have strong run rates, but they need to win the majority of their remaining league stage fixtures to finish in the top four in the points standings. On the other hand, Kolkata haven’t won a match since Pat Cummins’ stunning knock against Mumbai Indians, which gave them a 5-wicket victory. The Knight Riders have remained winless in their last four encounters, and they have to find a way to overcome Delhi in this fixture.
Read IPL 2022: Halfway Through, Playoffs Qualification Scenarios for Ten Teams
Delhi Capitals
Mitchell Marsh and Tim Seifert both were out of the squad because of covid-19. They have rejoined the squad but whether they will be available for selection against Delhi is not a hundred percent confirmed. Players from the foreign category will have to make their way into the playing XI if they are selected. Apart from them, the rest of the players are available for selection. For Delhi Capitals, left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, opener David Warner, and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav will be key.
Predicted Playing XI (DC)
Top-Order: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Sarfaraz Khan, Middle-Orders: Rishabh Pant (Wicket-keeper and Captain), Lalit Yadav, Rovman Powell, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Lower-Order: Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Khaleel Ahmed.
Read IPL 2022 KKR vs DC: Delhi's Mustafizur could be crucial against Kolkata
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata’s big names have failed to make an impact to register a win for them. Andre Russell and Tim Southee have performed admirably in their respective roles, but their efforts have not resulted in victories. Pacer Pat Cummins is among the worst economy rate bowlers this season, which is a big concern for the Knight Riders. The Kolkata team needs to find a way to overcome their opponents in order to stay in contention for a top-four finish. Skipper Shreyas Iyer, all-rounder Sunil Narine and power hitter Andre Russell can play a big part in this contest.
Predicted Playing XI (KKR)
Top Order: Sam Billings (wicket-keeper), Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Middle-Orders: Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Tim Southee, Lower-Order: Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.
Read IPL 2022: Jos Buttler's Record-Breaking Knock Helps Rajasthan Reach the Top
Match Time (DC vs KKR):
Thursday (April 28) at 8 pm (Bangladesh Standard Time) | Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals: Head-to-Head
The two sides have met on 31 occasions. In a head-to-head contest, the Kolkata Knight Riders have a slight advantage against the Delhi Capitals. Kolkata have won 16 games, Delhi have won 14, and one match has ended in a draw.
Verdict
Given the recent form of these two teams, Delhi Capitals will start as favourites against the Kolkata Knight Riders. The Knight Riders have struggled to find a way to beat their opponents under their new captain, Shreyas Iyer. It seems they may end this campaign outside the top four unless they show magnificent consistency in the latter stages of the league phase. Oppositely, the Delhi Capitals are in a better position in terms of team spirit and gel. They have good run rates and it will improve even further if they win most of their remaining league phase IPL 2022 fixtures.
Read IPL : Delhi Capitals pummels Punjab kings to win one sided match