Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders: October 13, IPL 2021 Prediction
VS
October 13, 2021 7:30 pm
With Royal Challengers Bangalore making their by-now customary exit from the Indian Premier League 2021, only three teams now remain in the competition. Chennai Super Kings earned the privilege to play in the final with their hard-fought victory over Delhi Capitals, but the latter must now eke out their own rite of passage by defeating a Kolkata side that’s brimming with rejuvenated confidence and fire only a long, arduous, and well-crafted comeback can ignite. The fact that DC vs KKR is to be held in Sharjah might also play a big part, as both Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad have proved that despite the tricky pitch, it is very much possible to go ballistic on this relatively small ground.
DC have had a terrific run in the group stage, but just like last year, lost their qualifier match to CSK. Now they have to work their way back into another meeting with the current finalists – once again a la last year. They have a solid team, though, and are more than capable of pulling this off if KKR either get complacent or aren’t up to the challenge.
Prithvi Shaw’s return to form in the last game – albeit in a losing cause – will help the Capitals’ confidence somewhat, while Shikhar Dhawan hasn’t been at his best in Sharjah. However, these two along with Rishabh Pant represent the biggest dangers DC can pose with the bat, with Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan, and Axar Patel will be looking to churn out their best performances with the ball.
If someone had told you even 8 matches into this season that Kolkata Knight Riders would be in contention for the final this year, it would be completely within reason for you to laugh or even scoff at them. The team has had a fairytale comeback and is on the verge of completing their redemption arc after a dreadful start to the campaign. However, the same process that has given them their current energy might act as a double-edged sword in the form of overconfidence.
For KKR, it’s been a strange year with the bat, as there are no real high-flying performers. However, the architects of the second leg of their journey are definitely Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, and their bowlers; of whom Lockie Ferguson, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Shakib Al Hasan pose the greatest threats. Shubman Gill was the hero with the bat in their last match, and that should give the youngster some much-needed motivation for the upcoming battle(s).
Match Prediction and Betting Odds
Both teams have a strong chance of winning with neck-and-neck odds, but KKR barely edge out DC in the eyes of the experts, so we will go with KKR for our match 59 prediction.
