We are in the latter stages of the Indian Premier League regular season now with things getting pretty serious for the Punjab Kings and the Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025 campaign ahead of their meeting in Dharamsala on Thursday.
These two are deep in the mix for the playoffs with the Punjab Kings pretty much able to confirm their place in them with a win here whereas the Delhi Capitals really need to find form again after a period of struggle.
Punjab Kings
The first job for the Punjab Kings this season was to make sure that they were much more competitive than they have been in recent campaigns. Once they ticked that box it was all about putting a halt to the extended run without a playoff appearance and it looks like they are well on course to do that. A win here will move them four points ahead of Delhi who are in fifth spot and they would only have two matches left to catch them, so while it wouldn’t completely ensure a top four spot, the Punjab Kings would be in a very handy position.
The batting has been spot on for the Punjab Kings for the majority of the season. They made some big signings for their batting line up and those players haven’t disappointed but where the Kings have been better than a number of sides in this competition is with the ball. You wouldn’t say they have been perfect but they have maintained pressure throughout the 20 overs more often than not and they have had a couple of bowlers who have performed well at the end of the innings and that is like gold dust in this event.
Delhi Capitals
It isn’t quite do or die time for the Delhi Capitals but there is no getting away that this is a big game for them. A win here would move them into the top four and they would be in control of their own destiny with regards to a playoff spot. You wouldn’t have though this would be the case after they won their opening four matches but just two wins in seven since then has left them with work to do to finish in the top four. One of those seven was rained off but they didn’t have much of a score on the board at the halfway point so the rain might have saved them in that one.
Delhi are having a real problem getting their big players to perform away from home and that is something that is going to need to change here if they are going to get the result that they crave. Their batters in particular need to stand up here but the record of their two main bowlers recently is leaving plenty to be desired. The Capitals look like a team who have run their race and that needs to be turned around quickly if they are to finish in the top four, which were they to fail to do would be a real collapse having won their opening four matches.
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Key Players
Arshdeep Singh ripped through the Lucknow Super Giants top order in the last match for the Punjab Kings and now he gets a shot at a Delhi Capitals side who can’t seem to settle on an opening pair and whose top order is struggling for runs.
If it wasn’t for Ashutosh Sharma the Delhi Capitals wouldn’t have posted anywhere close to the 133/7 they managed in the match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was an impact player in that match and might get a full game here.
Betting
I think we have to play the form here and go with the Punjab Kings to win the match. I mentioned in the match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier in the week the concerns over the Delhi Capitals. Their batting has suddenly really started struggling, and that didn’t change in Hyderabad and the record of Mitchell Starc in away games isn’t good and Kuldeep Yadav has stopped taking wickets. Punjab Kings look to be finding form at the right time and conditions here really suit their bowling unit. If their batters can produce the fireworks they did in the match with Lucknow Super Giants then I expect the home side to win this.
Given that the Delhi Capitals top order are struggling, I will have a go on the 22/1 that Ashutosh Sharma top scores for the visiting side. Sharma doesn’t always get oceans of time at the crease but were the Capitals top order to be shot out like the Lucknow one was here then you could see a situation where he gets longer there. When he has had to come in with plenty of overs remaining he has scored 66* against Lucknow, 37 against Gujarat and 41 against the Sunrisers, the first and last ones being the top score and the middle one falling two runs short. At the prices he looks huge value.
Tips
Back Punjab Kings to beat Delhi Capitals for a 3/10 stake at 1.73 with Boylesports
Back them here:
Back A.Sharma Top Delhi Capitals Batter for a 1/10 stake at 23.00 with Bet365
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