IPL 2021 Match 22 - DC vs RCB: Preview, probable XI, match prediction, live streaming, weather forecast and pitch report
The Delhi Capitals (DC) will go up against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 22nd match of Vivo IPL 2021 on Tuesday, 27th April, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Both teams have made positive starts to the season, winning four of five games. However, RCB come into this game on the back of a crushing defeat to CSK, while DC eked out a nervy Super Over win against SRH.
RCB bowled first against CSK after losing the toss and did a decent job with the ball for most of the innings. They kept picking up wickets at regular intervals. However, the high heat and humidity affected both bowlers and batters alike, with Dan Christian dropping Ravindra Jadeja's catch, which proved to be very costly.
With CSK 154-4 after 19, RCB was happy to have the impressive Harshal Patel bowl the 20th to Jadeja. However, a mixture of fatigue, pressure, faulty bowling, and brilliant batting saw a whopping 37 runs scored off the last over, with thirty-six of them coming off the bat of Ravindra Jadeja.
Set a target of 192 to win, RCB started brightly, but some smart bowling changes from MS Dhoni meant the chasing team were two down by the end of the Powerplay.
RCB imploded once the spinners entered the scene. Jadeja got the key wickets of Maxwell, Washington Sundar and AB De Villiers to seal a thumping win for CSK.
While it was a crushing loss for RCB, the defeat doesn't take away the good cricket they've played so far. Virat Kohli and co will look to redeem themselves and return to winning ways in the first game of their Ahmedabad leg.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Capitals almost let the game against SRH slip away from their grasp only to steal it back in an ensuing Super Over. After captain Rishabh Pant opted to bat first on winning the toss, Prithvi Shaw justified that decision by playing some fearless shots en route a brisk half-century.
However, SRH pegged back with consecutive wickets, and Pant and Steve Smith joined forces. While the run rate slowed down in the middle overs, some clever batting from Pant saw DC get close to a decent total. Steve Smith, who was struggling to time the ball, came good in the last over and propelled DC to a defendable total of 159-4.
Check the list of most sixes in IPL here.
In response, Kane Williamson was the lone crusader for SRH after Jonny Bairstow's dismissal. While DC kept getting wickets at regular intervals, Williamson soldiered on and took the game deep. With 16 runs required off the last over and SRH seven wickets down, Kagiso Rabada came forward to bowl the 20th.
Jagadeesha Suchith's six almost helped complete a fairy tale comeback for SRH, but the chasing team could only get a single off the last ball to force a Super Over. DC rallied strongly, with Axar Patel bowling a tight Super Over, conceding just seven runs. Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan chased down the total off the last ball.
Both teams will be missing key players for this game. Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson pulled out of the tournament owing to personal reasons, while Ravichandran Ashwin opted to stay back in Chennai, taking an indefinite break from IPL 2021.
With a new wicket and new dynamics at play, both teams will be eager to get a win and inject more momentum into their impressive campaigns. Considering the same, an enthralling game could unfold in Ahmedabad.
IPL 2021: DC vs RCB Match Details
Date: 27th April, 2021 (Tuesday).
Time: 7:30 PM IST.
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Weather Forecast
It should be a hot evening in Ahmedabad, with a scorching average temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. There isn't likely to be much dew, so the IPL captain winning the toss could look to bat first.
Pitch Report
The wicket in Ahmedabad could be a balanced one with some purchase for the fast bowlers. The first few overs with the new ball could be key for the bowling side, as it could be easy for the batters to score runs once they settle down.
Predicted XIs
Delhi Capitals (DC)
The Delhi Capitals will likely stick with an almost unchanged line-up that beat SRH on Sunday. Ravichandran Ashwin could be replaced by Ishant Sharma, considering the conditions on offer. Lalit Yadav is someone to come into the reckoning as well.
DC: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Steve Smith, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma/ Lalit Yadav, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada and Avesh Khan.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
RCB could stick with the same team that lost to CSK. They didn't do much wrong apart from the 20th over, and Harshal Patel bowled brilliantly till that point. They'll look to back the same XI and execute their plans better against DC. A fit-again Daniel Sams could come in place of a tired Dan Christian, though.
RCB: Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (C), Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (WK), Washington Sundar, Daniel Sams/ Dan Christian, Shahbaz Ahmed/ Navdeep Saini, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj and Yuzvendra Chahal.
IPL 2021: DC vs RCB Match Prediction
Despite both teams performing impressively so far, the firepower in the RCB ranks could overwhelm DC on the day. The indifferent form of Kagiso Rabada will likely worry DC on a seamer-friendly track. While the game could go down to the wire, RCB could take the win.
Prediction: RCB to win.
IPL 2021: DC vs RCB TV and Live Streaming Details
TV: Star Sports Network.
Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar VIP.