SWOT for DC
Strengths: DC’s batting order is one of the best in the league. So far, their batsmen have posted as many as seven fifties. The opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw is in excellent form. In the middle order, skipper Rishabh Pant has hammered two fifties. Shimron Hetmyer reminded us how destructive he could be with a whirlwind knock of 53* against Royal Challengers Bangalore. If the likes of Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis can also start firing with the bat, DC’s batting will become too difficult to manage.
Weaknesses: Bowling has not been great for DC this season. The leading wicket-taker for them this year has been Avesh Khan, who has picked 12 wickets. But he has been the lone warrior for his team in most of the matches. Amit Mishra is the second-highest wicket-taker for DC and has picked only half the number of wickets Avesh has. Kagiso Rabada is yet to find his top form. The constant absence of Anrich Nortje from the team has baffled many. Also, the exit of senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has hit DC hard. Ashwin has decided to be with his family amid the Covid-19 crisis in India.
Opportunities: For the longest time in IPL, Shimron Hetmyer failed to live up to his reputation. But with a fifty against RCB, Hetmyer can be getting back into the groove. IPL 2021 is an opportunity for Hetmyer to prove his worth.
Threats: DC seem to be huffing and puffing, and the last two matches are good examples of it. They let SunRisers Hyderabad take the chase down to the last ball and won in the Super Over. Against RCB, they lost by one run. Some big shots would have helped them close the match. A champion team should know how to win matches with ease.
SWOT for KKR
Strengths: The foreign contingent of KKR has stepped up this season. Eoin Morgan played a match-winning unbeaten knock of 47 against Punjab Kings. All-rounder Andre Russell has picked seven wickets so far and hit one astonishing fifty. Pat Cummins too has a fifty to his name and picked six wickets. Sunil Narine is back in the reckoning and is bowling tight overs while picking occasional wickets. Shakib Al Hasan was decent when he got the chance to play. Capable match-winners Lockie Ferguson, Ben Cutting and Tim Seifert are yet to start for the team.
Weaknesses: KKR opener Shubhman Gill has failed to live up to the high expectations. He has managed merely 89 runs from six outings at an average of just 14.83. Gill’s failure this season has meant that KKR have still not found a reliable opening combination. The team management and KKR supporters could be running out of patience and would want a change at the top of the order.
Opportunities: Eoin Morgan should pick Karun Nair to open the innings along with Nitish Rana. Tim Seifert can also play as an opener and start in place of Sunil Narine. To solve the opening woes of KKR, Morgan should select either Nair or Seifert.
Threats: The win against PBKS should not gloss over the fact that KKR is suffering from poor form. Experts have questioned the players’ performance and the tactics. KKR will be dealing with the threat of a string of losses.
Head-to-Head
Matches played: 26
DC: 11
KKR: 14
No Result: 1
Form Guide (last five matches)
DC: L-W-W-W-L
KKR: W-L-L-L-L
Deccan Herald’s Dream XI:
Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Eoin Morgan, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Andre Russell, Avesh Khan, Pat Cummins, Varun Chakravarthy, Amit Mishra.
Team News
No injury concern for either of the two teams.
Impact player for DC
Shikhar Dhawan: Dhawan is still one of the most dangerous batsmen of DC, having hit two fifties so far. His early departure against RCB slowed down DC in the chase, clearly highlighting how his importance. DC will probably win against KKR if Dhawan scores in his usual manner.
Impact player for KKR
Andre Russell: Russell is slowly reminding the world why he is considered one of the best T20 all-rounders. Russell is the only player this season to have scored a fifty and bagged a five-for. His brilliance in death bowling has prevented KKR from leaking runs in the slog overs. Morgan has also trusted him to bowl in the middle phase of an innings. He remains KKR’s best bet to win the match against DC.
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