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However, the head-to-head battle between the two teams has been fairly competitive, with KKR having an edge over DC overall. The stats do show some interesting trends of how these teams do against one another when certain situations arise.
Both teams have displayed an exciting brand of cricket and have an almost even track record against each other. The two teams have faced each other in 32 matches and KKR have a better head-to-head record winning 16, but DC have made sure that the contest has always remained close. We have seen some exciting battles from them, and one such match to remain forever in memories was the super over nail-biter in the 2021 season 4270; the result was decided in a super over itself! Delhi Capitals went on to win that game, and Prithvi Shaw was announced as the Man of the Match.
The likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Gautam Gambhir have been instrumental in the previous seasons, scoring heavily while also sitting among the all-time run getters in the IPL. We’ve also had plenty of individual brilliance in this contest. An extraordinary score of 128 by a DC batsman still stands as one of the top in this encounter, whilst an aggressive innings of 89 off as many as 32 deliveries by a KKR power hitter set the mark for explosive batting in powerplay.
The thin line that divides these two teams is that in every match, both teams are given space to set a daunting total as well as to press upon it. Each matchup has yielded stressful close calls, reminding that even a single over can be a decisive difference. Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, both teams continue working on their strategy and betterment of their team, There are lots of unforgettable encounters to watch that will further embroil the emblematic enmity between the two franchises.
The small gap between the two teams is that KKR has done just as well, whether they're putting up a total or chasing one, keeping their slight edge overall. Through the years, players like Shikhar Dhawan and Gautam Gambhir played for both franchises, scoring a lot of runs and also being some of the all-time top run-getters in the IPL.
Within this rivalry, Rishabh Pant made the highest score of 128 for DC against KKR which stands as an individual achievement. Each match between DC and KKR stands as one of the main attractions in their rivalry because both sides maintain balanced performance in every aspect of the game.
In away conditions, Delhi Capitals is neither an outperformer nor an underperformer in Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad, with a win percentage of 50% (third-best), having a record of 3 out of 6 wins. As DC will look to take advantage of their polished bowling technique against KKR's attack, this would also be a keenly contested fixture to take turns over one another in those aspects.
Kolkata Knight Riders have surprisingly dominated this fixture while playing at the opposition's home ground in Delhi, having won six out of the previous seven encounters at this venue in the history of IPL, with 85.71% proxy win percentage. One of the most memorable high-scoring encounters KKR Fans will always remember is he recent high-scoring match where KKR set up 266 in 20 balls with the help of fireworks by their top-order hitters. Delhi Capitals will be keen to rectify this record, especially the inclusion of Mitchell Starc this season, whose historic matches against KKR batting have proven quite valuable.
The Delhi Capitals have a relatively better win percentage at neutral venues, where the Delhi-based franchise has won 7 out of the 11 matches (63.64%) played. This edge away from both teams’ home turf shows how DC can contend and excel in unfamiliar conditions.
In the previous five meetings, the Delhi Capitals have won three times and the Kolkata Knight Riders two. KKR’s performances at the Arun Jaitley Stadium are worth noting, as they have been powerful as a visitor, while DC has proven their mettle on neutral pitches. It will be interesting to see how DC looks to undo the damage done by KKR in last season's encounters with a strengthened bowling attack in the shape of Mitchell Starc and Axar Patel as well as Kuldeep Yadav, who will want to tighten the screws, while KKR would want to stamp their authority at their rivals' home this time as well.
Retired cricketer Gautam Gambhir is the lead run-scorer for KKR against DC, with 569 runs, and he has played for both franchises in his IPL career. Delhi's most successful batsman against KKR has been the explosive Australian opener David Warner who has scored 456 runs with 107 being his highest, unbeaten.
It was the 29th of April, 2024, when the Eden Gardens in Kolkata witnessed an electrifying clash. Delhi Capitals scooped the toss and elected to bat first, but successive KKR wickets led them to an eventual victory. The match is noted for an explosive finish and some brilliant bowling from Varun Chakravarthy to guide KKR to a 7-wicket victory.
In yet another match of the IPL 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) displayed a brilliant form in their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on 3 April. After KKR posted a mammoth total, their bowling held down the DC lineup, leading to a crushing 106-run victory. The match was immediately labelled a classic as Sunil Narine, among others, stole the show.
Looking back a couple of seasons, the 10 April 2022 clash at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium was an exciting chapter in the rivalry. It was a closely contested match, with Delhi Capitals winning it by a comfortable margin of 54 runs. It was a high scoring encounter and bowling performance by both teams made it one of the remarkable matches between these two nations till now.
The Delhi Capitals have rebuilt their side around a deep, aggressive top order after losing their star player and former captain Rishabh Pant. Along with KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis, DC now has a solid batting combination that includes the likes of Jake Fraser-McGurk, Karun Nair, and Tristan Stubbs, who are all young and hard-hitting. It mixes experience with emerging potential in an effort to establish an early tempo and stabilize the innings.
It’s up to Axar Patel on the bowling front—a leading captain ensures the need for wicket-taking skills as well as tactics to help his team win. Seasoned bowlers such as Kuldeep Yadav and Mitchell Starc are expected to lead an attack that will be crucial to containing opponents that thrive in the news-dominated powerplay stages. DC’s approach will probably depend on trying to score early, and then keeping the bowling unit disciplined in the middle overs when it needs to restrict high totals.
Ajinkya Rahane, the team's newly appointed captain, will channel the focus into their season, and a new dynamic into the makeup of the team. KKR’2025 plan heavily relies on explosive batting and calculated risk in a heady combination. Expect the opening pair — led by the enterprising Quinton de Kock — to come out and take the fight to the opposition from the very first ball. The middle order, with the assistance of Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and Rinku Singh among others, is stable but also capable of a push when needed.
In the bowling department, KKR will depend on the craftiness of spinners such as Varun Chakravarthy and pace discipline from Harshit Rana to make use of any condition that suits wicket-taking. If the scoring was rampant at one end, this tiresome duo proved to be equally hard on the opposition in the field, and in the game management department as well; and that makes the Knight Riders the side to beat this season. Recent analyses from IPL Pundits and heavy preview articles have shed light on how this cohesive unit can capitalize on opposition weaknesses, particularly on home grounds like Eden Gardens.
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