🏏IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings, 59th Match 🏏

I was never coached; I was never told how to hold a bat. Every ball went exactly where I wanted it to go until the ball that got me out.--Donald Bradman

🏏IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings, 59th Match  🏏

Tag & Logo Credit: Sevenstreaks

The Delhi Capitals are all but out of the running for a top-four spot. 

While the likes of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav have impressed for them, the Capitals have not clicked as a batting unit this season.

As for the Punjab Kings, they have blown hot and cold throughout the tournament. 

They are still in the race for a playoff spot with five wins in 11 matches. Although Punjab have lost three of their last four matches, they have a resourceful side, with Liam Livingstone and Arshdeep Singh holding the key.

With both sides desperate for a win, an intriguing game beckons in Delhi.

For Delhi Capitals, it's a much easier equation even if more stressful - win to stay alive. In what has possibly been the most closely-contested season of IPL so far, David Warner's team could be the first to end their qualification possibilities.

In a way, that seemed the most obvious scenario following their four-game losing start. 

But they earned themselves a breather with four wins in their next five matches. However, yet another uninspiring batting display against Chennai Super Kings further dimmed their chances. 

Even if they pull that off, they will need a few uncontrollable - like results of the other top-four aspirants - to go their way for them to even stand a chance of finishing fourth.

DC:

They are at the bottom of the points table and are out from the playoffs. They have looked good as a team in the second half and will look to end the tournament on a positive note.

With the ball, their bowlers have been decent but have been inconsistent at times. Their spinners have been the key for them. Mitch Marsh and Axar Patel bowled very well in the last game and picked up 3 and 2 wickets respectively.

With the bat, their top order is full of overseas players and have been good for them in a couple games but failed in the last game. Rilee Rossouw and Axar Patel were the top scorers and scored 35 and 21 runs respectively.

PBKS:

The Punjab Kings are well placed 8th on the points table and still have a solid chance to qualify for the playoffs by winning the remaining games. They are coming into this game after losing their last game against KKR.

With the bat, their batters have been consistent and have performed very well in the tournament so far. Shikhar Dhawan and Jitesh Sharma batted very well in the last game and scored 57 and 21 runs respectively.

DC vs PBKS Pitch Report IPL 2023

Average 1st Innings score: 168

Average total innings score: 168

(The average score based on last 5 matches played on the venue)

The pitch at the venue is expected to be a balanced wicket with assistance to the batters. Spinners have always bowled well on this venue. Winning the toss and bowling first will be ideal.

DC vs PBKS Head-to-Head Records

Matches Played 

DC Won: 15

PBKS Won: 15

Tied: 0

DC vs PBKS Probable Playing XI

Delhi Capitals:

David Warner (C), Phil Salt (WK), Mitchell Marsh, Rilee Rossouw, Axar Patel, Aman Khan, Lalit Yadav, Ripal Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Ishant Sharma

IMPACTS – Manish Pandey

Punjab Kings:

Shikhar Dhawan (C), Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapakasa/Sikandar Raza, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sam Curran, Shahrukh Khan, Rishi Dhawan, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

IMPACTS – Nathan Ellis/Kagiso Rabada

Top picks and Player Stats (DC vs PBKS Match)

Delhi Capitals player stats:

Mitchell Marsh:

(8 M, 125 R, 15 A + 19.1 O, 12 W)

He will bat at 3 and is a hit or miss type of player. Marsh picked up 3 wickets with the ball and also scored 5 runs with the bat in the last game and is a default pick for C & VC in DC vs PBKS Dream11 Prediction.

David Warner:

(11 M, 330 R, 30 A)

He is the captain of the Delhi Capitals team and will open the innings. Warner was dismissed for a duck in the last game.

Axar Patel:

(11 M, 267 R, 33 A + 37 O, 9 W)

He is the best all-rounder player of DC and will contribute with both bat and ball. Patel picked up 2 wickets with the ball and also scored 21 runs with the bat in the last game.

Philip Salt:

(6 M, 168 R, 28 A)

Salt will open the innings and will also do the keeping duties behind stumps. He scored 17 runs in the last game.

Kuldeep Yadav:

(11 M, 39 O, 9 W)

He is a left-arm chinaman bowler and will bowl in middle overs. Yadav picked up 1 wicket in the last game.

Punjab Kings player stats:

Liam Livingstone:

(6 M, 172 R, 34 A + 6 O, 2 W)

He will bat in the middle order and can also bowl an over or two with the ball. Livingstone scored 15 runs in the last game and is a very good pick for C & VC in DC vs PBKS Dream11 Team.

Sam Curran:

(11 M, 196 R, 24 A + 38.5 O, 7 W)

He is the best all-rounder on the team and will contribute with both bat and ball. Curran went wicketless in the last game but will still be a must have pick.

Arshdeep Singh: 

(11 M, 40.5 O, 16 W)

Singh will be their main pacer and will bowl in powerplay and death. Arshdeep went wicketless in the last game.

Shikhar Dhawan:

(8 M, 349 R, 58 A) 

He will open the innings and is an experienced player. Dhawan batted very well and scored 57 runs in the last game.

Kagiso Rabada:

(4 M, 16 O, 5 W)

He will lead the pace attack and will bowl in powerplay and death. Rabada did not play the last game.

Thanks for the tag Madhu 🤗

These weekends two matches.... kitna. Mushkhil hai ... prediction karne mein 

May the best team win 

Top Run Scorers in DC vs PBKS

Delhi Capitals:

1. David Warner – 330 runs
2. Axar Patel – 267 runs
3. Philip Salt – 168 runs
4. Manish Pandey – 160 runs

Punjab Kings

1. Shikhar Dhawan – 349 runs
2. Jitesh Sharma – 260 runs
3. P Singh – 231 runs
4. Sam Curran -196 runs

Top Wicket Takers in DC vs PBKS Today Match

Delhi Capitals:

1. Mitch Marsh – 12 wickets
2. Kuldeep Yadav – 9 wickets
3. Axar Patel – 9 wickets
4. Anrich Nortje – 7 wickets

Punjab Kings

1. Arshdeep Singh – 16 wickets
2. Nathan Ellis – 10 wickets
3. Sam Curran – 7 wickets

What to expect: The temperature has been on the rise after a few weeks of brief rain spells in the national capital. The pitch is expected to assist spinners and be on the slower side. However, dew has played a part in a few games and teams have put up scores bigger than expected.

The pitch is expected to offer substantial assistance to the batters, creating favourable conditions for high-scoring encounters in this game. Throughout the current season, the average first innings score stands at 168 runs, reflecting the pitch's batting-friendly nature. Over the past three years, pacers have accounted for 63% of the wickets in T20 matches, while spinners have claimed the remaining 37%. Interestingly, in the recent IPL matches, the chasing team has emerged victorious in four out of the last five games, indicating a potential preference for chasing. Consequently, the team winning the toss might contemplate opting to bowl.

Thanks for the tag and thread, Madz!❤️

Mitchell Marsh DC 

He has taken a total of nine wickets in his last three outings and is the leading wicket-taker for the Capitals. With the bat, Marsh has made 125 runs at a strike rate of 134.4.

Liam Livingstone PBKS 

He has scored 172 runs in six games at an average of 34.4 and a strike rate of 163.8. He has picked two wickets as well.

Shikhar Dhawan PBKS 

He is the leading run-scorer for the Kings this season and has made 349 runs in eight games at an average of 58.16 and a strike rate of 143.62.