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In a 10-team league, where each team plays 14 matches, the minimum cut-off to qualify for the playoff is 16 points. Delhi Capitals is drawing strength from the fact that a team can afford six losses and still qualify provided it wins eight times.
As things stand for the Capitals – five losses in as many matches – winning eight out of the remaining nine matches looks highly improbable. On Thursday, the Capitals will be desperate to open their account by handing out Kolkata Knight Riders a third successive defeat this season.
For KKR, after Rinku Singh smashed five sixes in the final over to script the most-talked-about victory of this year’s IPL, nothing went right against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians. Placed seventh with four points from five matches, KKR needs to feel better by stretching the Capitals’ string of defeats.
Facing an uphill task of staying in contention for the playoffs, the Capitals have to tick too many boxes to get out of the cellar. Off-form Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh are required to fire before it is too late. After all, for Marsh’s all-round capabilities, Capitals bid Rs. 6.50 crore. Another huge disappointment is Khaleel Ahmad, who was bought for Rs. 5.25 crore!
In the last match, where the Capitals bowlers kept Royal Challengers to 174, the side lost four wickets in the PowerPlay of its chase. The consistent late-order contributions have made amends for the inconsistency of the top-order but are not enough to change the result.
Among the bowlers, left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman has proved too expensive to be of any support to Anrich Nortje. The spin of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Lalit Yadav has been fairly effective. However, the bowlers have conceded too many big hits during the PowerPlay and the last five overs.
KKR, clearly a more balanced side, has fewer concerns. Despite the luxury of seven bowling options, the poor economy rates of Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur need attention. No wonder Mumbai Indians exposed the lack of bite in the KKR’s bowling. On the brighter side, Venkatesh Iyer’s return with a century augurs well for the team. Overall, KKR has the edge.
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