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IPL 2021 – Qualifier 2 (KKR vs DC) – 3 players battles to watch out for
By Shivam Sharma - Oct 13, 2021 1:22 pm
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IPL 2021 – Delhi Capitals (DC) will face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the second qualifier of IPL 2021, whose second leg has been better than the first leg. The tournament has been almost the same for Delhi Capitals where they easily entered the ‘Playoffs’ of IPL 2021 due to their better game from the start, once again like last season with their young squad.

kkr
Kolkata Knight Riders consistent performance

The tournament turned out to be quite the opposite for Kolkata Knight Riders after falling badly in the first leg while Kolkata Knight Riders changed the equation in the second leg after successive victories. Although both the teams have defeated each other once in the current season of IPL 2021.

They have faced 30 times in IPL history in which Kolkata Knight Riders have won 15 times while Delhi Capitals remains victorious on 14 occasions. Delhi Capitals seems to have the upper hand in both the teams where they have excellent batting line-up to excellent bowling line-up.

delhi capitals
Delhi Capitals into the playoffs once again

Kolkata Knight Riders definitely have a better bowling line up but their middle-order seems to be lacking batsmen when captain Eoin Morgan has not been able to do anything in the tournament. Having said that, Let’s take a look at the three players battle to watch out for in DC vs KKR game.

  • Shubman Gill vs Avesh Khan

Shubman Gill brilliant knock

Shubman Gill has scored more than 360 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders in the tournament. Last year’s highest run-scorer Shubman Gill has impressed this year of IPl 2021 as well. With great hand and eye coordination, the youngster’s ability to play shots at times turns him the most dependable player for the team on almost every occasion when Kolkata knight riders don’t have too many experienced players in the line-up.

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Delhi Capitals’ leading wicket-taker Avesh Khan has taken 23 wickets in the tournament so far. The right-arm fast bowler remains the threat to the oppositions with the kind of form and consistency he has been in the recent form. The pacer has the ability to swing the ball at a consistent pace to trouble the best of the batsman.

  • Sunil Narine vs Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw played a brilliant knock against Chennai super kings

Sunil Narine, who has been a consistent performer for Kolkata Knight Riders for a long time, took 4 wickets in the last match to knock Royal Challengers Bangalore out of the tournament. In batting too, Sunil Narine contributed 26 runs and took the team to victory. The young attacking batsman Prithvi Shaw has given Delhi Capitals a good start to the tournament several times. In the last match too, he played a valuable 60 runs knock against Chennai Super Kings in 34 balls to help Delhi Capitals take the big score of 172 runs after initial setbacks.

  • Eoin Morgan vs Ravichandran Ashwin 
Eoin Morgan
Eoin Morgan

Of course, Kolkata Knight Riders have qualified for the Playoffs but captain Morgan has not been able to do much in the tournament like last year when he scored more than 400 runs. With the crucial game against Delhi Capitals, a lot will depend on Eoin Morgan on captaincy skills to beat one of the best sides like DC.

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While the league has brought better results for Delhi Capitals, the tournament hasn’t been anything special for experience bowler Ashwin so far. As an experienced bowler, Delhi Capitals still wants to take a risk over Ashwin in playing XI who can contribute with bat and bowl both rather with a young bloke to be given chance in the last playing XI.