Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) will take on Delhi Capitals (DC) in Match 38 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. The two sides have had contrasting fortunes in the tournament. DC are sitting at the summit of the points table while KXIP have just lifted themselves from the nadir. 

However, still in contention for the Playoffs, it is a crucial match for KXIP. A win will keep them breathing in the tournament. KXIP defeated Mumbai Indians, another team which has consistently occupied the top two spots in the points table, which will give them a lot of heart heading into the clash with DC. The two sides kicked off their 2020 campaign meeting each other in Match 2 of the season which DC won in the Super Over. 

IPL HEAD-TO-HEAD

Overall: Matches - 25 | KXIP - 14 Wins | DC - 11 Wins

Last 5 matches: KXIP - 3 Wins | DC - 2 Wins

Suggested Team

While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your own team from cricket.com Fantasy Research Centre. Based on algorithms we come up with six different teams that could fetch crucial points.

Ground Details

The record at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in IPL 2020 is stacked heavily in the favor of the sides batting first. Out of the 16 games at the venue thus far, sides batting first have won on 12 occasions, including two tied games both of which featured KXIP. The average first innings score at the venue has been 176. The numbers are a good enough indication that the captain who will win the toss would not hesitate to bat first. 

The spinners at this venue have fetched a wicket every 23.7 deliveries. This is the best strike-rate for tweakers amongst all venues. However, the stat fades when compared to the strike-rate of pacers who have a wicket every 20.7 deliveries at the venue. 

Team Combination

As it has been the trend in this IPL, pacers guarantee more points than spinners and should be the centrepoint of your bowling attack. With bowlers like Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Mohammed Shami a part of this game, there are genuine wicket-taking options available in terms of pace. 

Top-order batsmen from both sides are in top-notch form. KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan are amongst the top five run-getters of the tournament racking up significant scores consistently. 

Match-Up

Ashwin has used the match-up of an off-spinner against a left-hander to a great effect to subdue Chris Gayle. Apart from dismissing the Six Machine four times, Ashwin has kept Gayle down to a strike-rate of 82.3, dictating his supremacy over him. The two have not come up against each other since 2015. For two seasons (2018 and 2019), they were in the same squad while Gayle was warming the bench when the two teams met last this year.  

Captain Selection

While both sides are packed with T20 superstars, there is no safer pick than KL Rahul as the captain of your Fantasy XI. The opening batsman currently holds the Orange Cap accruing 525 runs at an impressive average of 75. His 77 against MI was his third half-century in a row. 

There have been question marks over his strike-rate but the KXIP skipper has mixed caution with aggression quite beautifully to become a game-changer from the fantasy scheme of things. Out of all venues, Dubai has been his favorite where he accumulated 304 runs averaging 76 alongside a strike-rate of 146.9

Our Criclytics player projection predicts Rahul could score 17-40 runs in this match

Here's a quick look at former KKR captain Gautam Gambhir's team for this match

X-Factors

Citing Prithvi Shaw’s plummeting form and Rishabh Pant’s unavailability, Shikhar Dhawan has taken the matters into his hands to guide DC’s batting fortunes. The southpaw has piled up three consecutive 50-plus scores and amassed his maiden T20 hundred in the previous game. He has been the highest scorer of the match in all these three games batting with an improved strike-rate of 158.7. 

Overall, he has been fluent against both pace and spin striking at 136.8 and 151.4 respectively. 

Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Dhawan could score 16-39 runs in this match

It’s no surprise that Kagiso Rabada holds the Purple Cap. The speedster was the highest wicket-taker in the previous season as well until he was called back by Cricket South Africa. This season, he has 19 wickets to his name in nine games. The right-arm pacer has extended his wicket-taking streak to 23 games which guarantees points from his end. 

This season, Rabada has picked 13 wickets during the death overs - the most in the season by any bowler. Given KXIP’s middle-order is fragile, it sets up Rabada to add more victims to his tally. 

Our Criclytics player projection predicts Rabada could pick up 1-2 wickets in this match

Akin to Rabada, KXIP’s Arshdeep Singh has also been on a wicket-taking streak. Though it's not stretched for as long as that of Rabada, Arshdeep has taken a wicket in each of the four games he has played this season. He currently has the highest wickets-match ratio (1.5 wickets per match) by a KXIP bowler this season alongside Murugan Ashwin. 

Our Criclytics player projection predicts Rabada could pick up 1-2 wickets in this match