Another high scoring game is on the cards when a strong Delhi Capitals will take on the Kolkata Knight Riders in Sharjah. This ground has provided great entertainment with 4 200 plus scores in 4 innings played. Dinesh Karthik will look to among runs as almost all the other KKR batsmen are among runs. Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, has contributed but has found it tough to get going. So it will be crucial games for both the skippers. One of these team will end up with 6 points in this IPL and move into top 2.
DC, after a bright start with a couple of wins, lost the match comprehensively against SRH by 15 runs. The bowlers did well to restrict the opponent to 162 with Rabada again being the pick of the bowlers. The batting let down resulting in their first loss of this season.
On the other hand, KKR are on the back of consecutive wins after losing their opening game. Their victory was as a result of some good performances from the uncapped Indians Mavi, Nagarkoti and Varun CV which they will be pleased about. The form of Eoin Morgan and Cummins are encouraging signs for the KKR team.
Key players from both sides:
Batsman – Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Dinesh Karthik.
The respective captains of KKR and DC, Karthik, and Iyer need a superb knock in this IPL as they haven’t had impact innings so far from them. So this will be a crucial match for them to get back into form with the game being played in Sharjah. Similarly, Pant despite getting starts in all his innings he has played, yet not played a match-defining knock that we usually get from him in IPL. Shubman Gill looks to be the batting mainstay for KKR and will look to continue his remarkable run with the bat.
All Rounder- Marcus Stoinis, Andre Russell, and Sunil Narine.
Sunil Narine and Andre Russell have not come to the party yet, especially the former who despite opening the innings hasn’t played an impact knock and is ordinary with the ball as well. Russell has not batted that much this IPL and used scarcely as a bowler. If these 2 all-rounders fire, then KKR will be the team to beat. Marcus Stoinis has already won a game on his own for DC; they will expect him to fire once more.
Bowlers – Kagiso Rabada, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, and Anrich Nortje.
This match will feature 2 of the leading fast bowlers in the world cricket Pat Cummins and Kagiso Rabada. Both have been good so far this tournament for their respective sides and will once again be crucial to dismantle the opposition’s top order. Rabada’s South African teammate has been effective so far and will play a key role, especially bowling with short boundaries. Shivam Mavi is one youngster who has impressed many and will be interesting to see how he performs in this batting paradise. We have to wait and watch if Ashwin is fit to play in this game.
Battles to look forward
- Kagiso Rabada vs Shubman Gill
- Pat Cummins vs Shreyas Iyer
- R Ashwin vs Eoin Morgan
- Sunil Narine vs Rishabh Pant
In the short boundaries of Sharjah, the onus is the openers of both teams to provide quick starts as well it is the role of fast bowlers to restrict them. So the battle between Rabada and Gill will be crucial, especially with the latter can find gaps without much fuss. Iyer likes the ball coming onto the bat, and if he faces Pat Cummins, it will be a great contest to watch. If Ashwin does play, he will provide a significant threat to left-handers of KKR like Rana and Morgan. This is probably a surface that can bring back Pant to form, and his faceoff with Narine will be an exciting watch.
Head to Head between DC and KKR.
- Matches Played: 25
- DC Won: 11
- KKR won: 13
Significant Approaching Milestones.
150- It will be Amit Mishra’s 150th IPL game if he plays
3- Shikhar Dhawan requires 3 more maximums to complete 100 IPL 6’s.
50- This will be Nitish Rana’s 50th IPL game.
54- Eoin Morgan requires 54 more runs to complete 1000 IPL runs.
Match conditions
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.
Date & Timings: October 3, 2020, at 7.30 PM IST.
Weather: Clear with the temperature around 34 C.
Pitch: Likely to be a great batting surface with possible due later on.
