The Delhi Capitals (DC) will be hosting the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the 59th match of the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The hosts are currently the wooden spooners of the tournament, winning just four out of the 11 matches they have played so far. While they have the slimmest chance of making it to the playoffs, they would want to come out on top in their remaining matches.
Punjab Kings, on the other, has won five games from 11 fixtures and is placed eighth in the points table. The clash between the two teams promises to be a high-octane clash, as both teams will go out all guns blazing in the must-win affair. DC suffered a 27-run loss against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their previous outing, failing to chase down a 168-run target. PBKS also faced a defeat in their most recent appearance, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets.
Ahead of the crucial DC vs PBKS game, here’s a look at 3 player matchups to watch out for.
#1 David Warner vs Arshdeep Singh
DC skipper David Warner was a lone warrior for this team in the initial games of this season. He has amassed 330 runs from 11 innings, he is currently the leading run-getter for his team. However, his strike rate has taken a dip this year, which stands at 119.56. He has four fifties under his belt. Delhi will want their captain to show glimpses of his vintage self against PBKS.
ALSO READ: Match 59 (DC vs PBKS) – Playing XI And Fantasy XI Predictions
Warner will have to survive Arshdeep Singh’s spell upfront. While the Southpaw fast bowler has proved costly this year, a fiery spell with the new ball could do wonders for his confidence. He has scalped 16 wickets from 11 games. The lanky seamer has done well against left-handed batters this season. 10 out of his 16 wickets are of left-handers.
#2 Ishant Sharma vs Shikhar Dhawan
Ishant Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan’s battle for one-upmanship is bound to entertain fans. The two have squared off five times in the league’s history. While Sharma has managed to dismiss the southpaw just once, Dhawan’s strike rate drops to 107.14 against him. The PBKS skipper has amassed 349 runs from just eight innings and is averaging 58.16. Sharma has also impressed many with his bowling exploits for DC, picking up six wickets from as many games at an economy rate of 7.52.
#3 Kuldeep Yadav vs Liam Livingstone
Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been a consistent performer for DC. While he has picked up just nine wickets from 11 games, he has a fantastic economy rate of 7.02 to his name. Kuldeep could be Warner’s best bet against PBKS’ fiery batter Liam Livingstone. The power-hitter has struggled against spin bowlers. He has amassed 172 runs from six innings at a strike rate of 163.80. It is worth mentioning that three out of Livingstone’s five dismissals in IPL 2023 have been courtesy of spinners.
