DC vs PBKS: The big picture
DC vs PBKS: A hike of COVID cases has created havoc in the Delhi Capitals camp before their match against Punjab Kings. Mitchell Marsh and four Delhi Capitals support employees tested positive for Covid on Monday, but the fourth round of RTPCR testing on Tuesday morning came back negative. More judgments will be made after another round of tests on the morning of the game. The match, which was originally set for Pune, has been rescheduled for Mumbai.
The Capitals have had a difficult start to the season, with only two victories in their first five games and a 16-run loss to the Royals in their most recent matchup. With David Warner and Prithvi Shaw, they’ve gotten off to a strong start, but the middle order hasn’t been able to capitalize. The duo has accumulated 67(45), 93(52), and 50 points in their three appearances so far (28).
After using four batsmen in five matches at the critical No.3 post, DC was waiting for Mitchell Marsh to recover from a hip-flexor injury he contracted in Pakistan last month to fill the vacancy in the middle. Nothing significant was returned. However, now that COVID has caught up to Marsh, they’ll have to ask elsewhere for answers. The ability of DC’s bowlers to offset the aggression of Punjab’s batsmen will be pushed to their limits.
DC vs PBKS: Match Details
When: DC vs PBKS, April 20, 7.30 PM
Where: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
What to expect: If given the opportunity, both of them will choose to chase, as has been the pattern. They appear to be easier with what they’re working with, dew or no dew.
Head-to-head: The Punjab Kings lead the head-to-head 15-13, although they’ve been on par since 2018, with four victories each in eight games.
Also Read: IPL 2022: CSK vs MI Match 33 Prediction
DC vs PBKS: Team-wise tactics
Delhi Capitals
Due to Mitchell Marsh’s unavailability, DC may decide to bring back Anrich Nortje or Tim Siefert to help with batting. Kuldeep might be inserted into the powerplay to counterattack Dhawan’s threat. If Nortje plays, Mustafizur may be saved till after Dhawan departs, considering the opener’s proclivity for scoring against Bangladesh pacers.
Kuldeep might be inserted into the powerplay to counteract Dhawan’s threat. If Nortje plays, Mustafizur may be preserved till after Dhawan departs, considering the opener’s proclivity for scoring against Bangladesh pacers.
Probable Playing XI: Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Tim Siefert/Anrich Nortje, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Rovman Powell, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Khaleel Ahmed
Punjab Kings
Early on, PBKS will unleash Kagiso Rabada on an in-form David Warner, who has already dismissed the left-hander a number of times. David Warner’s average against the speedster is only 19.20, but he holds a record of 11 fifty-run innings against Punjab. Punjab Kings will be hoping to see the back of him early in the game, as he has 945 runs in 21 innings at 49.74.
Probable Playing XI: Odean Smith, Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prabhsimran Singh, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora, Arshdeep Singh
DC vs PBKS: Trivia
For the record first time in the IPL, Rabada will come face to face with his former franchise DC. Kagiso Rabada has 7 wickets at a strike rate of 20.57 and an economy of 8. Every game, he has grabbed at least one wicket.
Punjab Kings has slipped down to the bottom of the bowling rankings.
The foreign trio of Rovman, Seifert, and Marsh have compiled to hit 69 runs in eight innings, with an average of 8.63 runs per inning, an SR of 93.24, and a high of 21.
