Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are lining up to take on Delhi Capitals (DC) in match 19 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 at the high-scoring Brabourne stadium in Mumbai on Sunday afternoon. Heading into this game, table toppers Kolkata hold an edge, having won three out of their four matches. Delhi, on the other hand, have won just one out of their three matches.
Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav – there are too many players in both camps with a thing or two to prove against their former franchise.
Despite Prithvi Shaw getting quick runs in the last game, Delhi's batting has struggled to get going this season. However, with the arrival of David Warner, things are expected to go uphill from here. Their patchy middle order will be under the scanner, especially against spin. Captain Rishabh Pant will look to contribute with bat, particularly in the death overs, which has been a concern for Delhi this season.
The Delhi bowlers will be under the pump against the power-packed Kolkata batting line-up at Brabourne. Following the batting heroics of Pat Cummins in the last game, the other Kolkata batters will eager to prove their worth, and are likely to pose a stiff challenge for the likes of Mustafizur Rahman, Anrich Nortje, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep and others.
The biggest challenge for the Kolkata bowlers will be the dimensions of this ground. They are playing at Brabourne for the first time in this season. However, they have won both their matches at the venue in the past. Their key spinners, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, will be challenged by the Delhi batters. Hence, the role of the in-form Umesh with the new ball becomes more crucial in this game.
Likely XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Sam Billings (wk), Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Umesh Yadav, Rasikh Salam, Varun Chakravarthy
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Anrich Nortje
Fantasy tips
- Varun has an excellent record against Delhi in last few outings, even at a small ground like Sharjah.
- The fast bowlers are likely to take more wickets than the spinners. Back Cummins, Umesh, Nortje, and Mustafizur.
- Shreyas is due for a big score. Against his former team, there will be extra incentive on him to do well.
Where to watch
Live streaming of Match 19 of IPL 2022 between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) will start at 3.30 PM IST on April 10. You can watch the match on the Star Sports Network and Hotstar.