NEW DELHI: It is a battle for survival as Delhi Capitals host Kolkata Knight Riders at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday night. A victory on Friday will keep either side in playoff contention, while a defeat will push them to the brink of elimination. On display are two teams that have struggled to decode the high-octane tempo of this IPL. However, the mood in the Capitals and Knight Riders camps is in sharp contrast.
Delhi Capitals' struggles
After a bright start to their IPL campaign, the Capitals have lost their way, losing four of their last five games and slipping to seventh in the points table. In fact, they have an abysmally poor record at home, winning only one game (their opener against Mumbai Indians) and losing four. "We have to win four from four to have a chance of qualifying. So it becomes really important," said Capitals middle-order batter David Miller.
Kolkata Knight Riders' resurgence
On the other hand, the Knight Riders have resurrected their campaign after a poor start and have momentum after securing a hat-trick of victories in their last three matches this season, though they are still only a spot below the Capitals in the IPL standings.
Inconsistency plagues Capitals
Inconsistency has been Capitals' bane and, despite using 20 of the 25 players at their disposal this season, the Axar Patel-led side is struggling to find the right combination. When their batting has clicked, the Capitals' bowling has been found wanting, and when their bowlers have managed to put a stranglehold on rivals, the batters have floundered. Barring opener KL Rahul — 445 runs from 10 games — and Tristan Stubbs, the rest of the Capitals' batters have failed to deliver. The batting collapses in their last two home games will be giving plenty of headaches to the team management, and they may be mulling the possibility of tinkering with their lineup for the game against KKR.
"I think with the batting, it is pretty clear we have not done too well. We have lost wickets in clusters. It puts us into positions where we have to rebuild and then try and get a competitive total," said Miller, who was dropped from the playing XI in the last two matches.
Bowling concerns for Capitals
Though their premier pacers Mitchell Starc and Lungi Ngidi came together for the first time in the previous game, the attack looked pedestrian against Chennai Super Kings. And if the slow-bowling pair of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav fail to get their act together and make dents in the Knight Riders' batting lineup in the middle overs, the Capitals may find themselves pushed further into a corner.
KKR's bowling strength
Meanwhile, the Knight Riders have managed to claw their way out of trouble and are in playoff contention largely due to the performance of their bowlers. Their recent hat-trick of victories has been built on solid bowling displays, which have compensated for occasional batting failures. The team will look to continue this momentum against a vulnerable Capitals side.
