IPL 2020, DC vs KXIP: 3 closest encounters

Match 38 of Dream 11 IPL will pit table-toppers Delhi Capitals (DC) against the struggling Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). DC will be looking to consolidate their position at the top of the IPL points table while KXIP will hope to slay another behemoth (after defeating MI in the first-ever double Super Over) on Tuesday.

Predict our XI tigers for tonight's big battle in Dubai 🐯🏟️Saath mein hum sab roar machaayenge! 🙌#KXIPvDC #Dream11IPL #YehHaiNayiDilli pic.twitter.com/y9laFfagVs

— Delhi Capitals (Tweeting from 🇦🇪) (@DelhiCapitals) October 20, 2020

KXIP has the upper hand when it comes to fixtures between these two teams in the past. In the 25 encounters between the two, KXIP leads the head-to-head tally 14-11.

KL Rahul's men will be looking to sneak two more points and pray for a miraculous revival of their IPL campaign in this game. Before the two teams renew their rivalry, here is a look at three of their closest encounters from the past:

3. Match 45, IPL 2014: KXIP beat DC by four wickets (two balls remaining)

Wickets crumbling [Pc: IPLT20.com]

Final Scores:

• DC:164/7 (20 overs)
• KXIP: 165/6 (19.4 overs)

Put into bat, DC faced a minor collapse towards the end of their innings which ultimately led to their downfall in this IPL 2014 fixture.

Dinesh Karthik (69 from 44) and Kevin Pietersen (49 from 32) laid a strong foundation for DC, but the lower order failed to capitalize. The last 19 balls resulted in five wickets and just 24 runs as DC slumped to a disappointing 164/7 in their 20 overs.

KXIP was off to a flyer with opener Manan Vohra (42 from 19) striking at a rate of 221. Akshar Patel (42* from 35) held the innings together towards the end.

Needing nine runs from the final over bowled by Wayne Parnell, Rishi Dhawan (8* from 5) struck a boundary to drive KXIP home with two balls to spare.

2. Match 22, IPL 2018: KXIP beat DC by four runs

Another win for the Kings[Pc: IPLT20.com]

Final Scores:

• KXIP: 143/8 (20 overs)
• DC: 139/8 (20 overs)

In a low-scoring IPL encounter, KXIP edged past their Delhi rivals in a last-ball finish.

None of the KXIP batters managed to kick on and get high scores as they lost wickets regularly. DC's Liam Plunkett was the wrecker-in-chief with the ball, returning with figures of 17/3.

With only 144 to get for victory, DC lost three wickets in the powerplay while scoring 48 runs. KXIP continued to chip away at the DC batters until they needed 17 from the last over. Shreyas Iyer (57 from 45) put his hand up and batted with resolve to bring DC within touching distance of the total. He smashed a boundary and a maximum to reduce the equation to five needed from the final delivery.

Shreyas Iyer swung hard at a quicker ball bowled by Mujeeb Ur Rahman and ended up getting caught on long-off. It was a heartbreaking defeat for young Shreyas Iyer and his Delhi franchise.

1. Match 2, IPL 2019: DC beat KXIP in a Super Over

Heartbreak [Pc: Newsindiaexpress.com]

Final Scores:

• DC: 157/8 (20 overs) and 3/0 (0.3 overs)
• KXIP: 157/8 (20 overs) and 2/2 (0.3 overs)

IPL 2020 has seen five Super Overs so far. This match was the first one among them.

Thinking about what happened the last time we met #DC 💭🤯#SaddaPunjab #IPL2020 #KXIP #KXIPvDC @Gmaxi_32 pic.twitter.com/vgw5F7wGuy

— Kings XI Punjab (@lionsdenkxip) October 20, 2020

The match swung like a pendulum. KXIP had the early advantage, dismissing all of DC's main batters to leave them reeling at 96/6 in 16.1 overs. Marcus Stoinis (53 from 21) managed to plunder a whopping 30 runs in the final over bowled by Chris Jordan to help DC post a competitive 157/8.

The momentum shifted firmly in favour of the Delhi Capitals when KXIP's score read 35/3 after the powerplay overs. Mayank Agarwal (89 from 60) paced his innings beautifully to bring KXIP within touching distance. The Punjab franchise needed just one run from the last three balls for victory.

Instead of nudging it for a single, KXIP batsmen chose to attack the bowlers which resulted in the last three balls yielding no runs and two catches. The game was thus forced into a Super Over.

Rabada made short work of KXIP's Super Over batting as he dismissed both KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran for just two runs. Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer ensure there would not be any more drama as they guided DC home safely.