Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

IPL 2020 Match 38: KXIP vs DC Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KXIP vs DC Dream11 Prediction Today | Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Capitals Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

Can Kings XI Punjab make a late surge towards the playoffs? That is the question on the lips of their long-suffering fans, after coming up trumps one of the IPL’s greatest ever days two nights ago.

The KL Rahul-led side would be ruing three other games that they lost from winning positions in the first half of the tournament. The first of those was against Delhi Capitals back on the second day of IPL 2020, where Marcus Stoinis’ 21-ball 53 and Punjab’s inability to score one run off the last three balls costing them dearly. Now, KXIP are on a two-match winning streak, and are the kind of team who can go on a great run of form. Interestingly, the previous two seasons (2018 and 2019) saw them have a magnificent first half of the campaign, only to fall away. This time, they had an awful first half, but will aiming to continue the momentum in the season’s second half.

But, it won’t be easy today. Time and time again, the Delhi Capitals have overcome challenging situations, with the latest being a Shikhar Dhawan-led chase against Chennai Super Kings. Incredibly, all of DC’s seven wins this season has seen a different player of the match (Stoinis, Shaw, Iyer, Pant, Ashwin, Nortje and Dhawan), highlighting the number of players this team can turn to in times of need – a quality that the great Mumbai Indians have. So, can DC keep their momentum going as they continue their journey towards a maiden IPL Title?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• KL Rahul continues to make runs. Only Virat Kohli in 2016 had more runs at this stage (561) than Rahul’s 525 so far this season. Also, his strike rate finished above 150 against Mumbai Indians last match.
• However, can Rahul overcome a modest record against DC? In 8 innings against them, he has struck 196 runs at an average of 24.50, which is far less than his IPL career average of 46.33.
• The addition of Chris Gayle looks to have freed up Rahul. The “Universe Boss” returned two games ago with a half-century vs RCB, and hit a crucial six in the second Super Over vs MI. Also, Gayle has a superb career record vs DC, which KXIP will be hoping he can build on today: 14 inns, 450 runs, avg. 40.91, SR 154.11 (including 69 off 37 balls in 2019).
• Mayank Agarwal hit 89 (60) vs DC earlier this season. The opening batsman remains second in the 2020 Orange Cap race with 393 runs, at an average of 43.66 (SR 159.10).
• The battle between KXIP’s top order vs DC’s excellent spin duo of Axar Patel and R Ashwin will be key. Ashwin has enjoyed success vs Chris Gayle (four dismissals and SR 82.82) and Mayank Agarwal (four dismissals and avg. 10). KL Rahul averages just nine against Patel, at a strike rate of 75. Key battles.
• How well is Shikhar Dhawan going? After a slow start to IPL 2020, Dhawan has burst into life, now sitting fourth in the IPL 2020 Orange Cap race (359, avg. 51.28). He has hit 69*, 57 and 101* in his last three knocks. His 627 career runs against KXIP come at an average of 29.86, but he is certainly in good enough form to build on that.
• Shreyas Iyer has the most runs in DC-KXIP matches among current DC players (284, avg. 31.56). He helped resurrect DC’s flailing innings vs KXIP earlier this season with 39 (32).
• Marcus Stoinis was man of the match in the DC-KXIP match earlier in 2020. His 53 (21) turned the game, and also took two wickets in the final over to force the match into a Super Over. He will be key again against KXIP’s shaky death bowling.
• Deepak Hooda’s 23* (16) vs MI showed he can offer important value for KXIP in the middle order, which also contains the dangerous Nicholas Pooran (242 runs in IPL 2020, SR 181.95).
• Kagiso Rabada is the fastest ever to 50 IPL wickets (27 games). He has an incredible 19 wickets in nine games in IPL 2020, including 2/28 vs KXIP earlier this season (part of six wickets in four games against them overall).
• Mohammed Shami took 3/15 vs DC earlier in IPL 2020, which included the wickets of Prithvi Shaw (5) and Shreyas Iyer (39). The Indian seamer has been in good touch this season, with the third-most wickets of any bowler (14 in nine matches).
• Ravi Bishnoi has enjoyed playing at Dubai this season: 1/22, 3/32, 0/33, 3/29 and 1/12.
• Anrich Nortje has taken at least one wicket in five of his last six matches, including four wickets in his past two games.

Stats and Facts

• Head-to-head: Matches 25, KXIP 14, DC 11.
• KXIP have won four of the past six clashes against DC. However, DC have won the past two.
• Prithvi Shaw has hit a bit of a wall. He has been dismissed in the powerplay in his past three games (vs Boult, Archer and D Chahar). So, how will he cope with the likes of Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh?
• Seam bowlers have taken 113 wickets at Dubai in IPL 2020 (econ. 8.6). Spinners have taken less wickets (67), but concede less per over (7.7).
• Shikhar Dhawan needs 62 runs to bring up 5,000 IPL runs.

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Possible Playing 11

What do KXIP do about the struggling Glenn Maxwell? The big-money purchase has not delivered to potential this season, so this is the game he might be replaced. James Neesham could come in, as he provides some batting cover as opposed to the likes of Mujeeb ur Rahman.

Kings XI Punjab: 1. KL Rahul (c & wk), 2. Mayank Agarwal, 3. Chris Gayle, 4. Nicholas Pooran, 5. Jimmy Neesham/Glenn Maxwell, 6. Deepak Hooda, 7. Chris Jordan, 8. M Ashwin, 9. Ravi Bishnoi, 10. Mohammed Shami, 11. Arshdeep Singh

Rishabh Pant is reportedly back in training after a minor hamstring injury. He could return in this game.

Delhi Capitals: 1. Prithvi Shaw, 2. Shikhar Dhawan, 3. Shreyas Iyer (c), 4. Rishabh Pant (wk), 5. Marcus Stoinis, 6. Shimron Hetmyer, 7. Axar Patel, 8. R Ashwin, 9. Tushar Deshpande, 10. Kagiso Rabada 11. Anrich Nortje

Dubai Pitch and Weather Report

The team batting first has won 13 of 16 matches in IPL 2020. The average first innings score at this ground is 176 in IPL 2020, with the last three first innings scores being 161, 177 and 176. More dew in the later stages of the game could encourage the captain who wins the toss to field, but there is clear value in batting first.

Also read: How to create multiple teams in Dream11 and its benefit

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

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Match Prediction

It’s 1st vs 6th, but this could be more competitive than that. KXIP have had many good moments this season, and are likely to have some again today. However, DC’s composure in key moments give them a key edge.

Thanks for reading!