IPL 2023: 3 Players Who Will Be Crucial for Delhi Capitals to Win DC vs KKR Match No. 28

IPL 2023: It hasn’t been a great start for Delhi Capitals in the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League. They are the only team in the league to have lost all the games. DC has lost five out of five and is still searching for its first point on the board. They have lost to LSG, GT, RR, MI, and RCB, respectively, and one more loss will almost certainly result in their disqualification from the league.

But their next challenge is also tough. They will face the Kolkata Knight Riders in their next game on Thursday, which will be the second game of the double header. It will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, at 7:30 p.m. DC is desperate to win their first game, and we might see some changes in the team against KKR. So, we will discuss three key Delhi players in DC vs KKR Match No. 28.

IPL 2023: 3 Key Players for Delhi Capitals in DC vs KKR Match No. 28

3. Manish Pandey

One thing that might turn into DC’s favor is that they have a gap of five days from their last loss against RCB. Speaking of that game, chasing 175, DC kept on losing regular wickets, but one man stood out as the lone survivor: Manish Pandey. He scored the lone half-century for his team and made 50 off 38, with five fours and one six.

He looked good in his inning and played some delightful shots. Though DC couldn’t chase the below-par total in Chinnaswamy Stadium, the inning from Pandey was the only positive for them. DC will want him to carry on against KKR as well, because in- form, Pandey can give stability to DC’s middle order, which has been missing so far. Pandey’s ability to play spin and pace makes him a valuable player against KKR on Thursday.

2. Axar Patel

The DC vice captain Axar Patel is another player who can turn the game around from any situation with both the bat and the ball. Though he hasn’t fired with the ball in hand, he has done a decent job while batting. He is currently the second-highest scorer for his team. Axar has scored 129 runs in five innings at 165.38, including nine sixes.

He has also taken two wickets with the ball. But in a must-win situation, DC will hope he delivers a match-winning performance to keep the hopes alive. Axar is aware of the conditions in Delhi and can use them when he plays KKR. One thing is that he needs to make sure that KKR has a lot of left-handers, which might not end in his favor. But he will be a key player for Delhi with his all-around ability and form.

1. David Warner

A captain is always the best player on the team, and one can expect a crucial performance from him in must-win contests. That’s what DC will expect from David Warner. The stats suggest that Warner is scoring runs consistently, but he is still far from his best. Warner has scored 228 runs in five innings at an average of 45.60.

But the most concerning issue is his slow innings. He has been scoring runs at a strike rate of 116.92. DC is standing on the verge of disqualification, where one or two losses will kick them out of the tournament. Thus, we might see a different approach from Warner because there aren’t many choices left. And an aggressive David Warner is unbeatable at times. So the skipper holds the key for DC if they win against KKR.