IPL 2024 DC vs KKR Preview - Capitals seeking to join up the wins

Key match stats

Pitch Stats – ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium IPL records

Pitch stats from the 10 most recent IPL matches played at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium

Team form DC vs KKR
DC: LLW
KKR: WW

Recent meetings: IPL 2023 - DC won by 4 wickets

Weather

General Forecast: Partially overcast, Dry and breezy
Chance of dew: Moderate

Preview DC vs KKR

Delhi Capitals got their 2024 campaign off and running with a commanding victory against the reigning champions CSK.

The lesser spotted Prithvi Shaw made his first appearance of the tournament and helped DC establish a 93 run opening partnership alongside the ever reliable David Warner.

Prithvi's career trajectory has very much followed the fortunes of the Capitals in recent seasons and there was talk that he would be released over the off-season following a couple of difficult years. If DC can find form from him for the remainder of the season then it would be like getting a new (and potentially world class) player in their team. For now though that remains a big if.

The concern for DC will still be that they almost let that position of dominance slip. Warner and Shaw were dismissed in consecutive overs and when Marsh and Stubbs followed in quick succession it looked like CSK might be about to run through the Capitals courtesy of another middle order collapse. However, Rishabh Pant showed what DC and indeed India have been missing of late with his first half-century since returning to the game to get his side up to what was ultimately a winning score.

The game was really won though by the excellence of DC's bowling attack and in particular their dominance of the powerplay. CSK's 32 for 2 was the second lowest powerplay score in IPL 2024 at the time of writing with the only worse effort in the opening 6 overs being delivered by Rajasthan Royals also against DC.

Batting Team	Score	Bowling Team
RR	31 for 2	DC
CSK	32 for 2	DC

sub-40 powerplay scores in IPL 2024 to date

In Ishant Sharma and Khaleel Ahmed, DC have a classical new ball attack that so far is doing the business. Khaleel Ahmed took his PP wickets tally to the season to 3 and his economy rate in the same phase is 5.3. Ishant is one of only 5 bowlers (including his teammate) to have a bowling economy of under 8 in the powerplay (min 3 overs bowled).

The question then is can they keep that up against this aggressive KKR team who have won their opening 2 games?

Having questioned Sunil Narine's spot as an opener, he of course went out and struck a 22 ball, 47 that for all intensive purposes finished the match against RCB. I'm still not convinced that it's a great long term option but happy for Sunil to keep proving me wrong!

In recent seasons, KKR have looked like a team full of brawn but without very much in the way of brains. However, I thought their win against RCB showed excellent tactical awareness to shift their bowling plans as a result of what turned out to be a dry pitch in Bengaluru. Once Narine had put them ahead, their middle order never gave RCB a chance of getting back in the game.

For a side whose batting was a little frenetic at times last season, it's quite ominous that the KKR top 4 have all had time at the crease in their opening 2 matches. We know what they are capable of at the back end of the innings so if they can consistenly lay a platform for those hitters then watch out!

DC vs KKR head to head

KKR bowling vs DC batting

Part of the challenge for KKR today will be to work out this pitch as quickly as possible. The ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium has been used for IPL and indeed international T20 games before but the Kolkata bowlers have bowled just 9 overs between them on this ground.

Warner powerplay batting stats IPL 2024 to date

The other challenge then becomes to get Warner out as quickly as possible. The Australian currently has more runs in the powerplay (87) than any other player in IPL 2024 so far (Kohli who plays later today has 67) and while he doesn't score at the kind of rates that some of his contemporaries do, he remains the key wicket for any side to claim when playing DC.

KKR will know that from their defeat at the hands of DC last year where on a very slow Arun Jaitley wicket, Warner's 57 was enough to see the Capitals limp over the line in their pursuit of a modest 127. It's his ability to play spin in those middle overs that is likely to be important again today against this KKR attack.

Warner T20 head to head vs Narine

Only Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have faced more deliveries in T20 cricket from Sunil Narine and their records pale in comparison to Warner's - Rohit, ave: 23, S/R 112, Kohli, ave: 41, S/R 103. This is a battle between 2 of the greats of the T20 era and Warner is very much on top so far!

DC bowling vs KKR batting

The battle between the most economical bowler in the powerplay, Khaleel Ahmed vs the potentially destructive Sunil Narine should be fun to watch. We know that Khaleel will look to swing the ball early and we also know that Narine bats with the basic principle that if it's up, it's off!

Narine T20 head to head vs Khaleel Ahmed

The pair have met 3 times previously in the IPL and while Narine took 19 off the first 7 balls he received from Khaleel, the left-armer has struck back with 2 wickets in his last 3 balls.

With his prior connections to Delhi, Shreyas Iyer has at least played a bit at the ACA-VDCA stadium in the past but it's not a venue he's enjoyed much success at. He'll be keen to do well against his former employers and if his KKR side can claim victory today then it will be the first time that they've won 3 consecutive matches in the IPL since 2021 when they achieved that feat on their way to making the final (4 wins in a row).

Iyer T20 record at the ACA-VDCA Stadium

The effectiveness of Sharma and Khaleel with the new ball is also freeing up Nortje to close out the innings for DC and he has an excellent record against quite a few of the KKR middle order including the dangerous Russell. Mukesh Kumar also bowled very well at the death for DC in their win against CSK, although he might not have played had Kuldeep Yadav have been fit.

Russell T20 head to head vs Nortje

Despite having played 3 Tests for India in the last 12 months, Mukesh's record with the new ball in IPL cricket is very poor, striking once every 80 deliveries in the powerplay with an economy rate of 9.2.

If Kuldeep does come back in for this match then DC are likely to have to sacrifice either a specialist powerplay bowler or specialist death bowler unless they feel confident enough in their batting line-up to play all 6 frontline options in the way that Rajasthan have in a couple of their matches this season.

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All stats used in this blog are from my own databases which are freely accessible below
IPL player head to head records
IPL player records by stadium
IPL stadium records.
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