IPL 2021: DC vs RCB – The 22nd match of the fourteenth edition of the Indian Premier League is set to be held between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore on the 27th of April, 2021. The match is set to be held in Motera Stadium of Ahmedabad and is scheduled to begin at 07:30 pm of the Indian Standard Time.
Owing to the grim situation across the country due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fans shall not be allowed to attend the match in the stadium. They can view it on their televisions, computers and mobile phones at the comfort of their homes. Both the teams have been playing well and boast of very good players. Let us have a look at the different possibilities this match holds and figure out why it will be an important watch in this edition of the Indian Premier League.
DC vs RCB – Match Preview
This match promises a lot. The pitch of Ahmedabad is known to favour batting, and T20 matches anyway are known for endorsing big hitting. This was also seen in the five match T20 series between India and England, which saw quite a lot of big hitting from players of both the teams. Given the scoring nature of the pitch, defending low scores might be tough. The average score of every team batting first for the past five matches on this pitch has been 171. Many are saying that this shift from Chennai to Ahmedabad will be a welcome change for the batsmen due to the favourable playing conditions.
Currently, both the teams are engaged in close competition as Delhi Capitals is ranked second in the table while Royal Challengers Bangalore is ranked third. Delhi Capitals is extremely charged up at this point owing to its victory in the Super Over match that it played against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Therefore, both teams will be looking to gain an upper hand from the beginning of the match.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Team News:
Both the teams boast of extremely exciting players. Royal Challengers Bangalore has a squad that boasts of high power. With Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell, they have surely got their batting prowess boosted. Maxwell has been very eager to play with AB de Villiers and Kohli and the three can launch a devastating attack against the opposition. However, two of their players – Kane Richardson and Adam Zampa have left for Australia owing to certain personal concerns. This has been a major point of concern for the team. Their bowling department is also quite strong with the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Yuzvendra Chahal, both of whom have become indispensable to the national side as well.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Washington Sundar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (wk), Dan Christian, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini/Shahbaz Ahmed
Delhi Capitals Team News:
On the other hand, Shikhar Dhawan has been in terrific form for the Delhi Capitals. Rishabh Pant will also be another player to look out for from the Delhi Capitals. Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Pallikal also promise good batting in the match. Axar Patel, who has recently recovered from COVID-19, and Kagiso Rabada shall be posing a tough challenge to the batsmen of Royal Challengers Bangalore. Ace bowler Ravichandran Ashwin of the Delhi Capitals has stayed back in Chennai to be with his family after many have tested positive. These departures of players will surely affect the teams.
Delhi Capitals (probable playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Steven Smith, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Marcus Stoinis, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje, Amit Mishra
DC vs RCB – Key Stats
The two teams have played a total of 26 matches against each other. In these matches, Royal Challengers Bangalore has won a total of 15 matches. Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, has won 10 matches while one match has not yielded any results. Virat Kohli has a great record against the Delhi Capitals. He has scored a total 897 runs against Delhi Capitals in 23 matches at a mind-blowing average of 59.80 and at a strike rate of 136.53. He has eight half-centuries against them with a high score of 99.
AB de Villiers and Axar Patel also share an interesting history. AB de Villiers has scored a total of 59 runs in 60 balls against Axar Patel and has been dismissed once. Therefore, it seems that Patel is capable of stopping the onslaught the prolific batsman frequently subjects the opposing team. Mohammed Siraj has one of the best economy rates among the bowlers – 6.5 and 54% of his deliveries are dot balls thus making him a vital addition to the team. The Delhi Capitals has one of the best run rates – 8.4 this season. These stats show how both the teams are studded with good performers.
Conclusion
A tough fight between two of the best teams in the tournament is set to happen. Fans will certainly be looking forward to the match.
