In their respective first games of the season, both Punjab and Delhi made the Wankhede look like the best batting surface in the history of T20 cricket, but, quite astonishingly, the same two sides, in their next respective games, made the wicket look like a Day 5 Chepauk pitch. The clash later tonight will be of paramount importance for both sides as while Delhi, if they win, will retain their position in the top four, a Punjab win would see the Kings jump three places to fourth. 

After almost snatching defeat from the jaws of victory versus Rajasthan, Punjab put up a forgettable showing versus Chennai in their last encounter. What would terrify coach Anil Kumble is how the batsmen fared, as after posting 221 vs RR, 106 was all Punjab managed in their previous encounter. The form of Shahrukh Khan was a positive, but the franchise will be concerned about the duo of Mayank Agarwal and Nicholas Pooran, both of whom have struggled to buy a run thus far.

Delhi’s form is not too different from that of Punjab’s, the only exception being that their margin of loss was not ‘thaaaat’ bad. Still, DC’s defeat versus RR was equally embarrassing as the 2020 finalists let the duo of Chris Morris and Jaydev Unadkat take the game away from them with the bat. Coach Ricky Ponting will be pleased with the form of skipper Rishabh Pant, but the team is in shambles when it comes to balance. The speculated return of Anrich Nortje might bolster the bowling, but DC’s real problem lies with the middle-order which, thus far this season, has been non-existent.

Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals - Head to Head

Punjab Kings - 15

Delhi Capitals - 11

Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals - Last Meeting

It was a game in which the Kings annihilated the Capitals. Despite a Shikhar Dhawan century, 164 was all DC managed, and Punjab quite remarkably chased it down with an over to spare. The destroyer in chief was Nicholas Pooran, whose blitz of 53 gunned down every single Delhi bowler.

Punjab Kings - KL Rahul (c & wk), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Moises Henriques, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Murugan Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh

Delhi Capitals - Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Ajinkya Rahane, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Woakes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Lalit Yadav, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan

Wicket-keepers - KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant

All-rounders - Chris Woakes, Deepak Hooda

Bowlers - Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada 

Match - Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals, Indian Premier League Match 11

Date – Sunday, April 18, 2021

Venue – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 

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