Preview PBKS vs DC IPL 2021, Match 29, May 2nd, Narendra Modi Stadium. PBKS vs DC head to head player stats and records. Team news and match predictions for PBKS vs DC.
Key match stats PBKS vs DC
Venue Stats – Narendra Modi Stadium
- Average first innings: 160
- Average first innings winning score: 171
- Average powerplay score: 47
- All-time win % batting 1st vs batting 2nd: 47% / 47%
Find full venue stats and records here
Team form PBKS vs DC preview
- PBKS – WLWLL
- DC – WLWWW
- Recent meetings: IPL 2020, DC won by super over, PBKS won by 5 wickets
PBKS vs DC preview
PBKS were back to their mercurial selves in the win over RCB last time out. There were plenty of reasons for PBKS to be happy with the result in their previous match, not least of all the form of captain KL Rahul who is crucial to the team’s chances and the performance of Harpreet Baar who beyond his heroics with both bat and ball might be the player to help solve the problem of balance that the PBKS XI has missed all season.
Of course, you’d be a brave man to bet on PBKS repeating their performance against DC in this match. If recent seasons have shown us anything, it’s that Punjab are one of the least consistent sides in the IPL. Brilliant one moment and truly awful the next!
As for DC, they continue to wrack up the wins, with a very routine victory over KKR in their last outing. As we approach the half way point of the tournament it looks very much like the Capitals will be making another appearance in the playoffs and perhaps this time around they’ll be able to improve upon their runners up finish from last year…
PBKS vs DC head to head stats
PBKS bowling vs DC batting
PBKS have struggled to take wickets in the powerplay all season but they put up a very decent display in their last match against RCB with Riley Meredith and Mohammed Shami roughing up the likes of Virat Kohli and Devdutt Paddikal. To be honest, given the amount of money that PBKS spent on out and out fast bowlers it was nice to see them unleash a couple of quicks rather than relying on the very military medium Moise Henriques and part-time spin of Deepak Hooda.
We’ll need to wait for a fitness update on Meredith after he got cracked in the knee late on in the game on Friday and you’d fear that they quick turn around of matches for PBKS might mean he misses out.
PBKS will also be up against a DC top order that has been scoring for fun in the powerplay this year. They have the best average score in the powerplay in IPL 2021, are the only team averaging over 50 in the powerplay during IPL 2021, have the batsmen with the best strike rate in the powerplay (Prithvi Shaw S/R 187) and are one of only 2 teams to have scored 60 or more in a powerplay this season. In other words, PBKS have their work cut out for them if they hope to repeat Friday’s success!
Full IPL 2021 powerplay stats can be found here
Of course getting rid of Shikhar Dhawan cheaply is a top priority for any side at the moment and PBKS know all to well his threat after the century he scored the last time these 2 teams met. His head to head stats against the leader of the PBKS attack in Mohammed Shami are also very impressive.
The Capitals also have plenty of fire power in their lower order with the likes of Stoinis and Hetmeyer looking to build on the starts being offered by the top order. In that respect, Marcus Stoinis has treated PBKS death bowling specialist Chris Jordan with utter distain in previous IPL encounters as demonstrated by the head to head stats below.
DC bowling vs PBKS batting
It goes without saying that a team’s captain and opening batsmen is going to be crucial to their chances of winning any match but in KL Rahul PBKS are almost entirely dependant on one man coming off in order to win. In fact, PBKS have only won 3 matches since the start of the 2020 IPL season in which KL Rahul didn’t score at least a half century and the below graphic shows “King Legend’s” average when PBKS win vs his average when they lose during the same period.
In terms of match-ups then DC may be tempted to open up with Axar Patel who has dismissed Rahul on a couple of occasions in previous IPL meetings. The prospect of opening with spin is increased if Mayank Agarwal is unfit to play again in this game, with Rahul’s partner in crime generally the aggressor against slow bowling in the powerplay.
As noted above, the magnificent performance of Harpreet Baar in the game against PBKS must give them real hope that they have a player who can help to solve one of the side’s biggest issues which is the all-rounder spot at 7. In previous games, PBKS have played the likes of Richardson and Jordan in that role and while both have the ability to strike a long ball, number 7 looks at least a spot too high for both. Having such a long tail puts more pressure on a top order which as we’ve already discussed is crucial to PBKS’s chances in a match. While it’s a bit early to name Harpreet Baar the all-round messiah that PBKS have been waiting for, he is certainly an exciting prospect.
All IPL player head to head records can be found here
