21DC vs PBKS: Delhi Capitals (DC) has given a big statement against Punjab Kings on the beautiful ground of Dharamshala. Captain Akshar Patel won the toss and decided to bowl first, but the most talked about were the five major changes in Delhi’s playing eleven.

‘Will learn from mistakes, but will play fearlessly’

After consecutive bad results, Delhi’s playoff hopes now hang by a thread. Akshar Patel spoke very honestly during the toss. He admitted that the team has not played very bad cricket, but they have failed to capitalize on those ‘special moments’ which change the course of the match.

Akshar said, ‘We will bowl first. Winning the toss is going well for us at the moment. To be honest, we missed those important chances in every department of the game, otherwise our game was not that bad. We will play our natural cricket without any fear and will not worry about the result. The pitch is fresh, so the new ball is expected to help.

Looking for a new beginning on new ground

On the other hand, Punjab Kings (PBKS) have also reached here after suffering three consecutive defeats. This ground of Dharamshala has brought a new hope for them. Captain Shreyas Iyer made it clear that the team now wants to concentrate on its game instead of getting entangled in the mathematics of the points table. Shreyas said that in the last few matches the team did not trust its instincts and crumbled under pressure. Now the aim is just to go on the field and prove my ability. Punjab has given a chance to IPL debut in this match to Ben Dwarshuis, who has been included in the team in place of injured Lockie Ferguson.

Playing eleven of both the teams

Punjab Kings (PBKS): Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Janssen, Ben Dwarshuis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Delhi Capitals (DC): KL Rahul (wk), Abhishek Porel, Sahil Parakh, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (c), Madhav Tiwari, Mukesh Kumar, Aaqib Nabi Dar, Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi.

The kind of drastic cuts that Delhi has made in its team, it is clear that they are now in a ‘aar-paar’ mood. At the same time, Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy and his bowlers will be a tough test for Punjab. The heat of the match is going to be at its peak in the cold winds of Dharamshala.