IPL-2025: Delhi Capitals to take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi
After starting the tournament with four successive wins, Delhi Capitals have blown hot and cold. They have suffered three losses in their last five matches, and it could have been four, if not for some Mitchell Starc magic in a Super Over finish against Rajasthan Royals.
Their homecoming hasn’t been ideal either, with two defeats in three matches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Yet, despite their latest loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, DC remain in the top half of the points table and are still in contention for a top-two finish. The same, however, cannot be said for their opponents on Tuesday.
Kolkata Knight Riders had an inconsistent start to their campaign, winning three and losing three. Thanks to some big-margin victories, though, their net run rate stayed positive, and just three matches ago, they were in a position to even top the table after bowling Punjab Kings out for 111.
But the slide began in that very game, when they were bundled out for 95. Since then, they’ve lost to Gujarat Titans and endured a no-result at home due to rain. With only a solitary win in five attempts at Eden Gardens and just seven points from nine matches, the Knight Riders will be hoping for a turnaround away from home – starting with the DC clash, the first of their three remaining away games.
Having fallen short in the chase of 206 against Mumbai Indians at home, DC lost to GT after posting in excess of 200 while they weren’t able to defend 162 against RCB despite showing some fight early on with the ball.
Even in the game against RR, DC just about managed to force the affair into a Super Over after getting a first-innings total of 188. The batters have all got starts but haven’t been able to convert them into a game-changing contribution, and Axar Patel and Co. will be eager to make amends quickly.
For KKR, the bulk of their troubles have stemmed from batting struggles, particularly in their last two defeats. Their issues at the top have been glaring – they remain the only team without a fifty-plus opening stand this season, with just 159 runs coming from their first-wicket partnerships across nine innings.
The middle order hasn’t fared much better in recent games, with their Nos 4-8 having the worst average (20.00) among all teams, compounding KKR’s problems. With six teams well ahead of them in the standings, they need to find solutions quickly, as time is fast running out.
