IPL 2019: Match 46, DC vs RCB - Match Preview, Predicted Playing XI and Key Players

The capital city will be packed with home and visiting fans on Sunday as the Delhi Capitals and the Royal Challengers Bangalore square off under the scorching sun on April 28th for match 46 of Vivo IPL 2019.

Both these teams are on opposite ends of the table but Delhi will have to win games in their home ground, something which they have struggled to do up until now.

RCB have kept their season alive by winning 4 of their last 5 games and they need to continue winning if they want to keep their chances of making the playoffs alive.

---

Delhi Capitals

The Delhi Capitals have given a spirited performance this season. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20)

Batting

Key Batsmen: Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant

The Delhi Capitals' top order is one of the strongest in the league but they have struggled a bit while batting at the Feroz Shah Kotla. The in-form Rishabh Pant will have to take on the RCB spinners on this slow surface while Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan must not lose their wicket early in the innings.

Their win against the Rajasthan Royals showed that the side was able in handling pressure and with players like Sherfane Rutherford down the order, Delhi can pile on the runs against RCB's weak bowling attack.

Bowling

Key Bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Sandeep Lamichchane, and and Axar Patel

Delhi's bowling, on the other hand has been brilliant this season and their lead pacer, Kagiso Rabada is on the top of the wicket-takers' charts with 23 wickets from 11 matches. He has been their go-to bowler all season and will want to confirm the side's playoffs qualification before he leaves for World Cup preparations.

Their spinners, Amit Mishra, Sandeep Lamichchane and Axar Patel have constantly been rotated and they will have a huge role to play in this spin-friendly wicket. Lamichchane especially will be looking to trouble Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers with his leg-spin early on in the innings.

Predicted Playing XI

Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan,Shreyas Iyer(C), Rishabh Pant(WK), Colin Ingram, Chris Morris, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Sandeep Lamichchane, Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma

---

Royal Challengers Bangalore

RCB's bowlers have done the job for them in the last couple of games. (Image Courtesy: IPLT20)

Batting

Key Batsmen: Parthiv Patel, Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers

RCB's batting is their biggest strength and in their last 3 games, they have played with their strength and have posted huge totals on the board and trusted their bowlers to do enough in order to defend the total. Parthiv Patel has been impressive all season but he must understand that he's not a pinch hitter and must convert his starts to big scores.

Kohli must make some runs in this game after a couple of barren innings while de Villiers will look to carry on his momentum and thrash the Delhi bowlers. These two have always been key to their chances and even if one of them fires, RCB are looking at a very big score.

Marcus Stoinis too has done a good job in finishing off innings while they will have to bring someone in instead of Moeen Ali who has left for England.

Bowling

Key Bowlers: Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Navdeep Saini

RCB's bowling has been good in the last couple of games and even in Dale Steyn's absence, the side has been able to take early wickets though they are leaking a lot of runs in the middle overs. Navdeep Saini has been brilliant this season and his energetic, fiery brand of pace bowling will be key against Delhi who have been the leaders in losing early wickets.

Umesh Yadav too has done a good job with the new ball while doing an average job during the death overs. Yuzvendra Chahal, however, will be the key bowler on this Delhi track and the side's leading wicket-taker will want to spin a web around the Delhi batsmen.

Predicted Playing XI

Parthiv Patel (WK), Virat Kohli (C), AB De Villiers, Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Akshdeep Nath, Wahington Sundar, Tim Southee Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Navdeep Saini