DC v KKR Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2020 match
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Shreyas Iyer's Delhi Capitals will look to bounce back to winning ways when they face off against the upbeat Kolkata Knight Riders in the 16th match of IPL 2020 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The Capitals began their season with a thrilling Super Over win against the Kings XI Punjab, and followed it up with a massive 44-run win over the Chennai Super Kings.
However, a lackadaisical batting performance saw them succumb to a 15-run loss against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in their third match. The Knight Riders, on the other hand, have had a run quite opposite to that of the Capitals.
The Dinesh Karthik-led side were undone by a Rohit Sharma masterclass and commenced their IPL 2020 campaign with a 49-run loss to the Mumbai Indians.
However, they bounced back strongly to register back-to-back wins, first a 7-wicket victory against SRH, and most recently, a 37-run win against the Rajasthan Royals.
As for this Delhi v Kolkata clash today, we could be in for a run-fest, given the big-hitters who might come to the party and make the most of the small ground dimensions.
IPL 2020: DC v KKR Match Prediction
Sharjah has produced high-scoring matches this season, and with big names like Rishabh Pant, and Andre Russell, among others set to feature in today's game, the bowlers are certain to be under the pump throughout.
There's no doubt that both DC and KKR boast of top quality batting units, but the Capitals' batsmen have, more often than not, succumbed to the urge of needing to up the ante with some rash shots.
The most recent example of DC's poor execution can be drawn from their previous game against SRH, when Iyer and Pant both threw away their wickets when, instead, they needed to play out the threat of Rashid Khan's variations.
As for KKR, Shubman Gill has looked like a million bucks at the top of the order, having scored 124 runs from three matches with one fifty to his name. However, today, all eyes will be on Trinidadian Sunil Narine, and for one simple reason.
The southpaw has failed to impress at the top of the order this season, and this match could very well decide if KKR want to persist with Narine at the top, alongside Gill.
There's no ground better suited to Narine's attacking style of play than Sharjah, and the all-rounder will be eager to make the most of the ground dimensions today.
Another interesting battle we could be witness to is one between the Capitals' spinners and the KKR lower order, especially Andre Russell. Spin has played absolutely no role in Sharjah thus far, and with Russell's power coming into the equation, time will tell if the DC spinners manage to tame the big-hitting prowess that the West Indian brings to the table.
Axar Patel and Amit Mishra have economy rates of just 4.60 and 7.25 respectively this season, and if Ravichandran Ashwin is fit for this encounter, DC might be forced to make a change in their playing XI.
Undoubtedly though, Kagiso Rabada will be the X-factor for DC, and he will need to be at his best to stop the KKR batsmen from running away with the game. Although Anrich Nortje started in promising fashion, he has fizzled out a fair bit, and Ishant Sharma is returning from a back spasm.
DC will need to make the most of the rather inexperienced bowling trio comprising of Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Varun Chakravarthy that KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik has at his disposal.
Granted, the trio have really stood up to the challenge thus far, but Sharjah has never been a happy hunting ground for the bowlers, and today's match will be a real test of their skills.
Not to forget, Kuldeep Yadav has been taken for plenty in the three games so far and has only one wicket to his name. And yet, despite Kuldeep's poor show, KKR's options on the bowling front could be a decisive factor in today's game.
Eventually, it could come down to the battle of the batting units, and if DC's spinners are carted for runs today, Iyer might be left scratching his head for solutions.
And, one reckons that the multiple options that KKR skipper Karthik has at his disposal might be the biggest influencer on the end result.
Prediction: KKR to win today.