Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

IPL 2020 Match 2: DC vs KXIP Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | DC vs KXIP Dream11 Prediction Today | Delhi Capitals vs Kings XI Punjab Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

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A day after the two most successful sides in IPL history do battle, two of the competition’s underachievers do battle to kickstart their respective campaigns.

What is in store for Delhi Capitals in 2020? 2019 was a breakthrough season for the rebranded franchise, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2012. So, Shreyas Iyer’s men will be looking to build on the progress they made in a season that looks the most open in recent times. Delhi’s team composition, which will be formed from a squad that contains plenty of openers, will be interesting to see, as well as how well their spin attack can deliver right away.

Their opponents also have a season of opportunity awaiting them. Will Kings XI Punjab reign as the King XI, or will 2020 be a repeat of the underachievement that has plagued them over the years? Now led by the impressive KL Rahul, Kings XI have only qualified for the playoffs twice in 12 campaigns, but their strong auction and greater emphasis on middle order prowess is a source of optimism. Delhi, who focus on spin, will certainly be a good test for the Kings XI lineup right away, who will be looking to achieve what they have done over the past two seasons and make a strong start.

Also read: Will KXIP and DC make the playoffs in IPL 2020? CricBlog’s tournament predictions!

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• KL Rahul is a genuine Orange Cap contender in IPL 2020. Since November 19 2019, Rahul has struck 562 runs in T20Is for India at an average of 51.09. Also, his last two IPL campaigns have been outstanding: 1,252 runs, avg. 54.43, SR: 146.60.
• Rishabh Pant has a huge role to play for DC in 2020. His last two IPL campaigns have been excellent: 1,172 runs, avg. 45.08, SR: 173.89. He clearly performs better in IPL cricket compared to T20Is, so far.
• Shreyas Iyer, the DC skipper, has the fourth-most runs in Delhi-Punjab matches (245). He was Player of the Match vs Punjab at Delhi in IPL 2019 (58* off 43 balls).
• Mayank Agarwal could open the batting for Kings XI to enable greater balance in their XI. He scored over 300 runs in IPL 2019 at an excellent strike rate of 141.88. Can he build on his previous season average of 25.88?
• DC have a plethora of openers in their squad. However, expect Shikhar Dhawan to be their first choice. The left-hander was the fourth-highest run-scorer in IPL 2019 (521 runs, avg. 34.73, SR: 135.67).
• Shimron Hetmyer is also one to watch for DC in IPL 2020. He finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the recently-concluded CPL (267).
• Given the change in quarantine rules, Glenn Maxwell could be available for this match. He is coming off a superb ODI century for Australia, and has an excellent IPL record in the UAE: 5 innings, 300 runs, avg. 60.
• Kagiso Rabada is a genuine Purple Cap contender. He was the leading pace bowler in IPL 2019 with 25 wickets in 12 matches. He was second only to Imran Tahir (26 wickets) in the entire tournament.
• Ravichandran Ashwin meets his old team. He has 15 wickets in 15 games against Kings XI Punjab.
• Mohammed Shami took the most wickets for KXIP in IPL 2019 (19 wickets in 14 matches).
• Mujeeb ur Rahman is coming off a superb CPL 2020 campaign (second-most wickets with 16). However, IPL promises to be a tougher test, and Mujeeb’s wicket-per-match ratio is lower at 1.06 in IPL cricket.

Stats and Facts

• Head-to-head: Matches 24, DC 10, KXIP 14.
• KXIP have won four of the past five meetings against DC. This includes an incredible match in 2019, where Delhi lost 7/8 to blow their chase of 166. However, there is no Sam Curran this time around for Punjab.
• Glenn Maxwell has a poor record vs Delhi: 7 matches, 45 runs, avg. 7.50. Can he deliver against them this time?
• Mujeeb to be kept for Hetmyer and Pant? He has bowled 12 balls to Shimron Hetmyer in T20s, giving away just four runs, with two dismissals. Mujeeb has also dismissed Pant twice, conceding 17 runs in 11 balls.
• Average first innings score in 51 T20s at Dubai since 2018: 152/7. However, the average winning first-innings score in this period bumps up to 167/6.

Possible Playing 11

Delhi Capitals are bound to leave out a quality opener, given how many they have in their squad. One is Ajinkya Rahane, who could have to bide his time on the bench throughout the season. Also, it will be interesting to see who bats where for DC after the openers, which could depend on the position they are in during their innings.

Also, given the change in quarantine measures, both Marcus Stoinis and Alex Carey could be available for selection. So, one could play in the middle order, with Keemo Paul, Daniel Sams and Sandeep Lamichhane as other options for the overseas slots.

Delhi Capitals: 1. Shikhar Dhawan, 2. Prithvi Shaw, 3. Shreyas Iyer (c), 4. Rishabh Pant (wk), 5. Shimron Hetmyer, 6. Marcus Stoinis/Alex Carey, 7. R Ashwin, 8. Keemo Paul, 9. Kagiso Rabada, 10. Axar Patel, 11. Amit Mishra

Kings XI Punjab have decisions of their own. Chris Gayle, the greatest T20 player of all-time, could sit out as Kings XI look to strengthen their middle order and have variety in their attack – areas where they have struggled in recent seasons. Glenn Maxwell, who was purchased for a big fee, will likely slot in if available, alongside the dynamic Nicholas Pooran in the middle order.

The make up of the bowling attack will be interesting to see, with some solid overseas options. Mujeeb ur Rahman was outstanding in the recent CPL and offers great value in the powerplay, with Mohammed Shami and Sheldon Cottrell the go-to options at the death.

Kings XI Punjab: 1. KL Rahul (c), 2. Mayank Agarwal, 3. Karun Nair, 4. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 5. Glenn Maxwell, 6. Sarfaraz Khan, 7. Krishnappa Gowtham, 8. Mohammed Shami, 9. Mujeeb ur Rahman, 10. Sheldon Cottrell, 11. Ishan Porel/Ravi Bishnoi

Dubai Pitch and Weather Report

In 62 T20 Internationals at Dubai, the average run rate is 7.13, which is slightly higher than Abu Dhabi’s 7.00. The surfaces are expected to be slow throughout the campaign, but less so at the start of the tournament. This was the case in match one of IPL 2020 at Abu Dhabi, where grass was kept on the pitch. For a team like Delhi, that possesses less big hitting ability compared to other franchises, their best bet could be to bat first, get runs on the board and defend with spin. It will be interesting to see the decision by the captain who wins the toss.

The setting vs chasing factor is a tough one to decode. In 51 T20s at Dubai since 2018, teams batting first have won 25 times and chasing teams have won 26 times.

A very hot day is forecast on Sunday, with temperatures expected to be in the mid-30s by the time this game starts (6PM).

For more stats and numbers, visit Predict22. Predict22 uses A.I. technology for fantasy predictions and match predictions.

Dream11 Prediction

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Match Prediction

This one has the makings for a close one. Both sides are evenly matched and with points to prove, which will provide the key players with motivation to perform and help their team win. One feels that this could be a battle between the top orders – if Kings XI Punjab can expose Delhi’s middle order early, they could very well go on to win the game. Given their success last season, DC start as favourites, but their top order needs to set a strong platform.

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Also read: Will KXIP and DC make the playoffs in IPL 2020? CricBlog’s tournament predictions!