The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season is set to witness Delhi Capitals take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore in match number 22 on Tuesday. The match is set to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Delhi Capitals have sealed four wins from five, collecting eight points. They won the Super Over against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, after both teams scored 159 each. Meanwhile, RCB, who won their first four games of the season, were felled by Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. Virat Kohli’s side is third with eight points.
After suffering a batting collapse against RR, DC responded well against Punjab. They were hammered early on before coming back to restrict PKBS under 200. The batting charge was led by Shikhar Dhawan, who smashed 92. Dhawan’s heroics helped DC complete a stellar win. They went on to beat MI next by six wickets and Dhawan was once again in the scheme of things. And then against SRH, DC faltered a bit from a position of comfort but held their nerves in the Super Over. It was a collective show by DC in terms of their approach.
The RCB were in control against both KKR and RR. They bowled well in both games and batted beautifully with different batsmen stepping up. However, against CSK, they were on the money before losing the plot in the final over. That energy transformed into their batting and the side perished cheaply chasing a huge total of 192. RCB have seen Harshal Patel bowl well so far as the right-arm pacer has collected 15 scalps. He had one bad over but will be expected to bounce back. RCB have seen both Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson fly back home and that reduces their options in terms of foreign players.
Here we present all the concerned details to guide you through.
Key details of the match
The match is set to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. It’s scheduled to start at 7:30 PM IST. Fans can watch the action live on the Star Sports Network in their preferred languages. One can also stream the match live on the Disney+ Hotstar app (paid subscription).
Here’s the preview
For DC, Dhawan holds a lot of importance. Their aggression and positivity are factors that have worked for him. The likes of Steve Smith, Rishabh Pant, and Marcus Stoinis need to offer substance in the middle. Dhawan will look to bat deep and anchor the innings, he will need support. With the ball DC have the desired firepower with Kagiso Rabada leading the line alongside Chris Woakes. Avesh Khan has been superb. Amit Mishra is doing a fine job as well and is a prime asset. The return of Axar Patel boosts DC as he was superb against SRH. He bowled an excellent Super Over as well.
RCB will aim to bounce back from the setback against CSK. Their bowling, in particular, has been a boost. The acquisition of Harshal Patel has done wonders. He has solved the problem at the death for RCB. One bad game doesn’t take away the justice he has done. Kyle Jamieson has done justice to his hefty price tag. The New Zealander has looked comfortable and settled. Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar have impressed as well. Kohli will be targeting a win against DC which will be a tough battle. He knows there are two points in the taking and if his side can stick to the basics, the job can be done.
Probable playing XIs: DC vs RCB
Delhi probable playing XI:
Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Rishabh Pant (c&wk), Axar Patel, Chris Woakes, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Amit Mishra, Avesh Khan
RCB probable playing XI
Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (c), Washington Sundar, AB de Villiers (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Kyle Jamieson, Daniel Christian, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal
Dream11 team prediction (option 1)
Batsmen: Rishabh Pant, Shikhar Dhawan, Glenn Maxwell, Devdutt Padikkal, Prithvi Shaw
All-rounders: Chris Woakes, Axar Patel
Bowlers: Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj
Dream11 team prediction (option 2)
Batsmen: Rishabh Pant, Shikhar Dhawan, Glenn Maxwell, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli
All-rounders: Axar Patel
Bowlers: Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj, Amit Mishra
Which players can be the top picks in the Dream11 team?
Shikhar Dhawan is a must in the line-up. He has been in top form across the last three seasons. The IPL 2021 has gone well for Dhawan, who is the Orange Cap holder with 259 runs at an average of 51.80.
Axar Patel came in and made his presence felt straight away for DC. He is a terrific performer and deserves a place.
In the bowling department, Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan are certain choices that need to be made. Both have been solid performers.
Dream11 fantasy: Captain choices
Shikhar Dhawan: Dhawan has been top-notch for DC and the manner in which he has timed the ball has been exquisite. He has been aggressive rather than just hanging around. He has scored bulk of DC’s runs and the performances have been of utmost significance.
Harshal Patel: The Indian pacer has claimed wickets and is superb at the death. With 15 scalps under his belt, the IPL 2021 Purple Cap holder is an asset for his team.
Dream11 fantasy: Vice-captain choices
In terms of vice-captaincy, Maxwell is a sound option. He has 198 runs from five games and has clocked two fifties already. Avesh Khan can be an option as well. With 11 wickets from five games, Avesh is a handy customer. He will be aiming to do well.
Other choices: Rishabh Pant, Devdutt Padikkal
Pitch report and conditions
The pitch at the Motera will support batting at large. However, there will be enough swing for pacers and with things being on the slower side, spinners will have a say as well. Change of pace is crucial here. The temperature will be on the higher side and it will be humid.
Motera stats
Looking at the T20Is played here, the average first innings score is close to the 180 mark. That’s a par score here.
Head-to-head record
The two teams have faced each other on 25 occasions. RCB have won 14 games and Delhi have pocketed the remaining 10. One match had no result. In IPL 2020, DC won both their games against RCB.
Match prediction
We feel both teams are strong and have the desired punch, But DC can get past the line here.