Kolkata vs Delhi player battles: Rahane vs Kuldeep key for struggling Delhi to beat in-form Kolkata

Team Kolkata will take on Team Delhi in Match 19 of Indian T20 League 2022 at Brabourne Stadium on Sunday, April 10. The match will start at 3:30 PM IST.

Kolkata and Delhi enter the fixture with contrasting form guides. While Kolkata have won three of their four games this season, Delhi have failed to pick up a victory in their last two games since the four-wicket win over Mumbai.

Kolkata, who currently sit at the top of the Indian T20 League 2022 points table, are favourites to defeat Delhi given they enjoy a superior head-to-head - 16 wins in 28 meetings.

Kolkata vs Delhi key player battles

David Warner vs Sunil Narine

David Warner will hope to return to his best Indian T20 League form when he takes the field against Kolkata. The southpaw is the leading overseas run-getter in the competition with 5,290 runs, of which 915 have come against Kolkata. Warner’s career strike rate of 140.21 in the league makes him a formidable threat to Kolkata bowlers, but a certain Sunil Narine will be assigned to keep him in check.

In 13 meetings, Warner has hit 158 runs off 96 deliveries at a strike rate of 164.58. Narine, meanwhile, has dismissed the former Hyderabad opener just twice and a Warner wicket could prove decisive in keeping the Delhi batting order in check.

Ajinkya Rahane vs Kuldeep Yadav

The Ajinkya Rahane-Kuldeep Yadav battle will be an interesting one, with one narrative being both players facing their former sides.

For starters, Ajinkya Rahane has scored 72 runs in Indian T20 League 2022 and there will be added pressure on the seasoned cricketer to contribute pivotal knocks for Kolkata.

As for Kuldeep, the spinner is proving his doubters wrong as he has grabbed six wickets in three games and is someone Delhi look up to as a potential match-winner. 

In four head-to-head meetings, Rahane has hit 14 runs off 21 deliveries and has been dismissed twice by the spinner. This head-to-head will be key for Delhi to end their run of two losses in the Indian T20 League 2022.

Featured photo: AFP / Sajjad Hussain / Dibyangshu Sarkar