IPL 2021: Qualifier 2, DC vs KKR Match Prediction – Who will win today’s IPL match?

Preview

Delhi Capitals are set to lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders in the Qualifier 2 of the 2021 Indian Premier League on Wednesday, October 12 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. KKR, led by Eoin Morgan, have had an incredible run since the IPL 2021 had to be shifted to the UAE due to the pandemic.

On Monday, they beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets in Sharjah itself. Their bowlers restricted RCB to 138 after which the batters did their job. Sunil Narine was exceptional with both bat and ball and he ended up getting the Player of the Match award for his all-round show.

The Capitals, on the other hand, will be going into the game after their four-wicket loss at the hands of Chennai Super Kings in the Qualifier 1. In that match, Tom Curran failed to defend 13 runs in the last. When the two teams last met, it was the Knight Riders, who came out trumps in Sharjah itself.

Match Details

Match – Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders – Qualifier 2

Venue – Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Time – 7:30 PM IST, 02:00 PM GMT

Where to watch live – Star Sports Network, Hotstar

Pitch Report

The pitch in Sharjah hasn’t been a tough one for batting, especially when the ball gets old. Hence, scoring runs in the first six overs will hold a lot of importance. The spinners are expected to make an impact. Chasing should remain as the way forward for both teams.

Avg first innings score: 137 (9 matches in the IPL 2021 at Sharjah)

Record of chasing teams: Won – 6, Lost – 3, Tied – 0

Probable Playing XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders

Venkatesh Iyer, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (c), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Dinesh Karthik, Shivam Mavi, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy

Bench: Karun Nair, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Ben Cutting, Pawan Negi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Tim Southee, Sheldon Jackson, Tim Seifert, Harbhajan Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sandeep Warrier, Vaibhav Arora, Andre Russell, Prasidh Krishna

Delhi Capitals

Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Axar Patel, Shimron Hetmyer, Tom Curran, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje

Bench: Sam Billings, Ben Dwarshuis, Praveen Dubey, Kulwant Khejroliya, Lukman Meriwala, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Vishnu Vinod, Ajinkya Rahane, Marcus Stoinis, Steve Smith

Head-to-Head

Overall

Played – 28 | Delhi Capitals– 12 | Kolkata Knight Riders– 15  | N/R – 1

In the UAE

Played – 4 | Delhi Capitals–  2 | Kolkata Knight Riders– 2 |N/R – 0

Probable best batter of the match

Shubman Gill— Kolkata Knight Riders

Shubman Gill has played with precision for the Knight Riders in the 2021 edition of the IPL. In 15 matches, the right-hander has notched 381 runs at an average of 25.40 and a strike rate of 121.72. In the previous game against RCB, he took the Knights off to a brisk start. In the next game, the Fazilka-born Gill will again be looking to play a knock of substance.

Probable best bowler of the match

Varun Chakravarthy– Kolkata Knight Riders

Varun Chakravarthy looked a tad lacklustre when the IPL took place in India. But in the UAE leg, the spinner has come into his own. In 15 games, he has picked up 16 wickets. His economy rate of 6.40 is also the best among the regular KKR bowlers. Varun is also the leading wicket-taker for the Knight Riders in the tournament. The Capitals need to play him with caution.

Today’s match prediction: Kolkata Knight Riders to win the match.

Disclaimer: This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.