IPL 2020, Delhi Capitals vs Kings XI Punjab - Stats Preview

Both have neither won an IPL trophy but while Kings XI Punjab have at least reached the final once, the other are yet to make their maiden appearance. On Sunday, Kings XI Punjab will be up against Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium for the second game of IPL 2020. Punjab had last reached the final in 2014, the same year IPL had hosted 20 matches in the UAE where the franchise had completed an unbeaten record. Delhi are yet to make it to the final despite having reached the playoffs four times, 2019 being their last. 

Head-to-head tie: In 24 meetings, Kings XI Punjab have won 14 which includes four wins in their last five encounters. 

At neutral venues and away games: Shreyas Iyer's men won four of their last seven games away from home. Overall, Delhi have a 41 per cent winning record away from home. However, they have fared decently well in matches away from India, winning 14 off their 25 matches. They had finished at the top of the table in IPL 2009 which was played in South Africa owing to the clash of dates with the General Elections, winning 10 off their 14 games ot make it to the playoffs before losing to eventual champions Deccan Chargers in the semifinal. In 2014, they recorded two wins in five matches. 

Kings XI Punjab had were the only undefeated side in the UAE leg of IPL 2014, winning all their five matches. However, in 2009 edition of the tournament, they had won as many as they lost in the league stage, thereby finishing fifth and eventually missing out on the playoffs berth. 

Crucial stats: 

- Delhi's strength lies in their strong Indian batting options - Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Ajinkya Rahane - and almost an equal amount of left-right combination in the batting lineup. Their key batsman has been Pant who has scored 1172 runs at a phenomenal strike rate of 168.88 and with a boundary percentage of 24.35. His SR and boundary percentage are only bettered by Kolkata Knight Riders' Andre Russell (196.67 and 31.19) and Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman AB de Villiers (174.56 and 25.09). Pant’s best-scoring position has been at No.4 - 989 runs in the last three IPL seasons at a phenomenal strike rate of 165.11 - the highest by a batsman at that position. Moreover, he has a phenomenal death over strike rate of 226.1.

- Delhi's strength also lies in their spin department which boasts of the likes of left-arm option Axar Patel, veteran leggie Amit Mishra, mystery spinner R Ashwin and young leg-spin sensation, Sandeep Lamichhane. According to CricViz, the Nepalese has the best powerplay strike rate of 12.5 among bowlers with 25 wickets during that phase. And in UAE, he has the best balls per wicket ratio in T20s with a rate of 11.4. 

- Kings XI Punjab have been overly reliant on their formidable opening pair of KL Rahul and Chris Gayle who scored 46.56 per cent of the entire team's runs. Rahul, the new captain, himself has scored 1252 runs at an average of 54.43 and a strike-rate of 146.60 in his last two seasons with KXIP. 

- KXIP would want Glenn Maxwell to set up in the middle order and emulate his 2014 UAE feat when he had emerged as the highest run-getter in that leg of the seventh edition of the tournament. He had scored 300 runs at an average of 60 and a strike-rate of 201.34. Meanwhile, they also have another option in Nicholas Pooran who managed 168 runs at a strike rate of 157.00 in 2019. 

- In Dubai International Stadium, the average first innings score since 2019 has been 143. And teams batting second have won 66.2 per cent of the matches in the last 10 years. Fast bowlers have a better bowling average and economy rate than any variety of spin.