IPL match preview: Delhi Capitals v Kolkata Knight Riders

The Capitals still have not won a match this IPL season. They're zero in five and it's probably a case of now or never for Delhi, whose pursuit of a maiden IPL title hasn't started at all well. They have a great tactician in head coach Ricky Ponting, but the results are not showing.

David Warner and Mitchell Marsh could be due big performances here. Buoyed by inclusion in Australia's Ashes squad, Warner and Marsh are key assets for Delhi and need to deliver. Warner has been consistent but batted relatively slowly. 

The Knight Riders will go into this match on the back of defeat to the Mumbai Indians. Venkatesh Iyer hit a century for KKR in that fixture, but it wasn't enough. It is evident Kolkata bowlers need to back up the batsmen.

Nitish Rana's captaincy is in the spotlight. He's probably not doing as well as the KKR brains trust would have hoped in the absence of the injured Shreyas Iyer. A match-winning innings could mark a promising turnaround for Rana and his team.

The Capitals have defeated the Knight Riders three times in their last five meetings. Two of those wins came consecutively during the 2022 IPL.

Warner has scored three half-centuries in five innings during the 2023 IPL. Indeed, he has been consistent, but his strike-rate has left plenty to be desired. This is not the big-hitting Warner many are familiar with. This could be his cue to make things right.

Andre Russell has blown hot and cold recently. The Knight Riders could really do with a lot more from their talismanic all-rounder, with bat and ball. The West Indian recruit shouldn't be under too much pressure against the winless Capitals.

It'd be sad to see Delhi go six in six without a win, but that's the forecast. Something is not right in their camp. Things are just not clicking despite all their talent on offer. The Knight Riders should capitalise on this.