thumbnail

PUNJAB VS. DELHI: INDIAN T20 LEAGUE 2021, MATCH 29 | PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS

In match 29 of the Indian T20 League 2021, Punjab take on Delhi at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening.

Punjab are at the 5th spot in the points table with 3 wins and 4 losses from their 7 matches in the tournament. They come here after a confident win against a high-flying Bangalore team. The problem with Punjab has been their consistency as they haven’t been able to stitch two consecutive wins so far. The batting is very top-heavy with skipper KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Chris Gayle scoring most of the runs. The middle-order has seemed non-existent in the previous matches. The spin duo of Harpreet Brar and Ravi Bishnoi bowled well in the last game. It will be a big positive as their bowling attack has struggled in most of the games. Dawid Malan is expected to replace Nicholas Pooran in the playing XI.

Delhi sit at the 2nd spot in the points table with 5 wins and 2 losses from their 7 matches. They continued with their good run in the tournament by beating Kolkata in the last game. The batting looks pretty solid at the moment as openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw are having a great time with the bat. In the middle order, Steve Smith and skipper Pant have looked in good form and together with Shimron Hetmyer and Marcus Stoinis, make a formidable line-up. Axar Patel and Lalit Yadav have bowled well, with Avesh Khan being the most impressive in the pace department. Anrich Nortje may come in place of Kagiso Rabada in this game.

The last time these sides met this season, Dhawan and Shaw decimated Punjab and paved the way for a big win in Mumbai. With revenge on their minds, KL Rahul and Punjab will take the field at Ahmedabad on Sunday evening.

Play fantasy cricket on Howzat

Match Details

  • Match: Punjab vs. Delhi, Match 29
  • Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
  • Date & Time: May 2, 2021, at 7:30 PM IST

Statistics

  • Head-to-Head Record: Punjab (15) - Delhi (12)
  • Last 5 Games Record: Punjab (2) - Delhi (3)
  • Average 1st Innings Score (Last 5 Games): 170 runs 
  • Chasing Record (Last 5 Games): Won 2, Lost 3

Probable Playing XI

Punjab

Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul (C & WK), Chris Gayle, Dawid Malan, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Chris Jordan, Ravi Bishnoi, Riley Meredith, Mohammed Shami

Delhi

Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Steve Smith, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan

Weather and Pitch Report

Ahmedabad is expected to have clear and warm weather during the match. The temperature will be around 39 degrees during the game. 

The pitch at the Narendra Modi stadium is a little on the slower side. Although there is not much movement available with the new ball, the pacers will get some help off the surface. Batsmen are likely to target the relatively shorter straight boundaries but will need to spend some time in the middle before playing any attacking shots. There will be ample turn on offer for the spinners.

Given the dew factor in the second innings, both captains will look to chase on winning the toss. A first-innings score of around 180 runs should be a competitive one.

Top Fantasy Picks

  • KL Rahul has been the cornerstone of Punjab’s batting this season, similar to the last few seasons. He is the current Orange Cap holder, with 331 runs in seven innings at an average of 66.20. He scored a brilliant 90 runs in the last game, his third half century in the last five matches.
  • Mayank Agarwal has contributed steadily at the top of the order in his last few innings but missed out on scoring a big knock. He has scored 161 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 127.77. He did not play the last game and will be fully energized to make an impact here.
  • Ravi Bishnoi has been impressive since he came into the playing XI for Punjab. He does not give away easy runs and has good control over his variations. He has taken 4 wickets in three matches at an average of 14.25 and an economy rate of just 4.75.
  • Prithvi Shaw is batting explosively and more importantly, consistently. He has scored 269 runs in seven innings at a good strike rate of 165, including 2 half centuries in his last three innings. He made 82 in the successful run chase in the last match.
  • Shikhar Dhawan has played a supporting role to Shaw in the last few matches. He took his time and accumulated runs steadily. He is the third-highest run scorer this season, with 311 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 131.77. He made 92 the last time these two teams met.
  • Avesh Khan is the second-highest wicket taker of the tournament, with 13 wickets at an average of 14.76 and an economy rate of 7.38. He has been impressive and taken wickets in each of the previous matches played, with best figures of 3/32.

Howzat Dream Team

  • Wicketkeepers: KL Rahul, R Pant
  • Batsmen: D Malan, M Agarwal, P Shaw, S Dhawan
  • All-rounders: L Yadav, A Patel
  • Bowlers: M Shami, R Bishnoi, A Khan
  • Captain: P Shaw/S Dhawan
  • Vice Captain: KL Rahul/M Agarwal

NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and play all the fantasy cricket matches from the Indian T20 League in the coming days. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.

Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!

Play fantasy cricket on Howzat