DC vs PBKS Match Prediction: Who will win today’s IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings

Delhi Capitals host current Indian Premier League leaders Punjab Kings in the afternoon clash of the Saturday double header at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. While DC will be  aiming to return to winning ways in what has been a stop-start season for them so far, high-flying PBKS will be hoping to extend their undefeated run and remain top of the table at the halfway stage of the 19th IPL season.

Delhi had started the season on a confident note with two wins in as many outings, but would go on to lose three of their next four matches. They had defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets after restricting the defending champions to a modest score of 175/8.

The Axar Patel-led side, however, found themselves outplayed by Sunrisers Hyderabad in their next outing, with Abhishek Sharma's unbeaten 135 setting up a 47-run victory for the home team.

More from Firstcricket

PBKS, meanwhile, appear to have carried on from where they left off last season and have successfully aced whatever challenge has been thrown at them so far this season. They began the season with four successful chases in as many completed matches before thrashing Lucknow Super Giants by 54 runs at home after posting a humongous 254/7 – the highest total of the season so far – on the board.

While a victory over DC will not guarantee them a place in the playoffs right away, PBKS will open up a two-point lead at the top at the halfway stage and be favourites to become the first to qualify.

DC vs PBKS: Match Prediction

DC vs PBKS Winner Prediction: Punjab Kings

Given their current form, it's difficult to predict anything other than a victory for the Shreyas Iyer-led side, regardless of whom they are up against. And while Punjab are a team that has all bases covered, it's their batting department – particularly their top three – that has been the key driving force behind their undefeated run.

The trio of Priyansh Arya and opening partner Prabhsimran Singh as well as No 3 batter Cooper Connolly are in red-hot form at the moment. And even if one falls early, as was the case with Prabhsimran in the match against LSG, the others step up to ensure the team doesn't suffer on the longer run.

And it's not just the top-order – captain Iyer too has made valuable contributions in the middle order and PBKS have explosive batting options all the way till No 7.

DC vs PBKS: Predicted Playing XIs and Impact Player

DC Probable XII: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (wk), Sameer Rizvi, Nitish Rana, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, Auqib Nabi, T Natarajan, Ashutosh Sharma (IP)

PBKS Probable XII: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak (IP)