IPL 2021, Match 29: PBKS vs DC, Stats Preview: Player records and approaching milestones

Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals will lock horns on Sunday night, in what would be the first fixture to happen twice in IPL 2021. While Delhi would fancy a win to enter into a top-2 spot, Punjab would like to win to enter into the top-4. Though Punjab have an upper hand in the head-to-head record against Delhi, it was Delhi Capitals who had better results in recent years. In the earlier PBKS-DC encounter of the season, Delhi were comfortable in chasing a target of 198, due to a mammoth 92 from Shikhar Dhawan. A 122 stand between KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal went in vain.

With two wins in the last three matches after a horrible season, Punjab Kings are now in a position to give a strong fight to Delhi Capitals. The recent wins have been largely due to a red-hot KL Rahul, the 41-year old veteran Chris Gayle regaining form, and the uncapped bowlers in Bishnoi-Brar doing exceedingly well.

For Delhi, their openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw were excellent, with outstanding support from their bowling unit. Both Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals won their last matches comfortably, against RCB and KKR respectively. With two teams in good form, this clash would promise to be a cracker of a contest.

Here’s a look at the stats ahead of the PBKS-DC IPL encounter

63 – Runs required for Chris Gayle to become the third overseas player to reach 5000 runs, after David Warner and AB de Villiers.

66.21 – KL Rahul’s average this season while scoring 331 runs at the halfway mark. Only Shaun Marsh has scored 200+ runs for Punjab Kings in an IPL season with a higher average (in 2008, with an average of 68.44).

4 – KL Rahul needs to hit 4 sixes to become the first player with 100 sixes for Punjab Kings in IPL. Likewise, Chris Gayle needs 9 sixes to reach the same milestone.

50 – KL Rahul will now play his 50^th IPL match for Punjab Kings, becoming the tenth player to do it for the franchise. His average of 56.32 for Punjab Kings is the highest for any player for them.

1 – KL Rahul will become the first player to keep wickets in 50 matches for Punjab Kings in IPL.

15 – Number of matches Punjab Kings defeated Delhi Capitals in IPL, their joint-highest against any team. Punjab Kings have also defeated RCB on 15 occasions.

198 – Total runs scored by Shikhar Dhawan in his last two matches against Punjab Kings, in just 110 balls. He also won Player of the Match in both matches.

5 – Total fifty-plus stands by Dhawan and Shaw in this season out of just 7 matches.

37.07 – Batting average of Delhi Capitals in this season, which is the highest of all teams so far.