The Delhi Capitals (DC) have nothing to lose, but the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have everything on the line. Although the Rajasthan Royals (RR) can write their own fate, if they were to lose to the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, KKR can qualify for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Playoffs. That freedom that DC will bring to the table can hurt KKR. Mind you, Delhi has won their last two matches.
KKR vs DC: Match Details
- Match Number: 70
- Date & Time: Sunday, May 24, 7:30 PM IST
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Live Streaming: JioHotstar app & website
- TV Broadcast: Star Sports Network
Eden Gardens Pitch Report
The centre strip will be used for the KKR vs DC match. It was rolled out for the first game of the season and hasn’t been used since. In that match, the Sunrisers Hyderabad scored 226 while batting first, and KKR lost by 65 runs. If the nature of the pitch remains the same, the ball will come onto the bat in the powerplay, and once the ball gets old, scoring will become tough. Batting first will be the preferred option here as the pitch will be slower in the latter stages of the game.
KKR playoffs qualification scenario
- Rajasthan Royals must lose to Mumbai Indians
- If KKR score 200 while batting first, they need to win by 77+ runs
- If KKR needs to chase 200, they need to finish the chase in 12.1 overs
Playing XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Manish Pandey, Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Tejasvi Dahiya (wk), Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Saurabh Dubey, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kartik Tyagi
Delhi Capitals: Abishek Porel, KL Rahul (wk), Sahil Parakh, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Madhav Tiwari, Auqib Nabi Dar, Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi
Head-to-head in IPL
- Won (KKR) – 20
- Won (DC) – 15
- At Eden Garden – 8-2 for KKR
KKR vs DC Match Prediction
DC is perhaps the most dangerous side at the moment. With nothing on the line, they are playing with reckless abandon. Winning or losing doesn’t matter. Axar Patel has become free all of a sudden. Several new players have been added to the mix who have a point to prove.
Meanwhile, KKR is in the game. Playoffs aren’t a distant dream. It’s tough but possible. Which means they might feel the nerves. They also need a large victory to surpass the Punjab Kings, and that’s after assuming that RR won’t win. But their spinners, Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine, give them a major edge on what is expected to be a slow pitch. Finn Allen’s on song and can end the game in the powerplay itself.
- Prediction: KKR to beat DC
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