Match 32 of Pepsi IPL 2013 will see two teams coming into the contest brimming with confidence. The Delhi Daredevils - who broke their eight match losing streak with a stupendous victory over the Mumbai Indians – take on Kings XI Punjab who chased down 185 to clinch a thriller against Pune Warriors India on the same day.

The Daredevils still lie at the floor of the table with just the solitary win from their seven matches while KXIP have won three of their six matches and are placed in the middle of the table.

Although DD face a monumental task of having to win at least seven of their remaining nine matches to give themselves a chance to remain among the top four teams, it would be wrong to write them off.

When

Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 8 p.m

Where

Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, Delhi

The Delhi Daredevils’ decision to open the batting with Mahela Jayawardene wasn’t a punt but a decision made on the basis of his outstanding record at the top of the innings. The Sri Lankan had scored both his centuries in the T20 format at the top of the order. Not only is he capable of finding the boundary frequently – as he showed in the match against the Mumbai Indians – he can also adapt to playing the conservative game. This not only allows Virender Sehwag to play freely, it also means they have the fire power of David Warner later in the innings.

Kings XI Punjab will be delighted for Mandeep Singh and David Miller, both of who played match-winning knocks in their previous outing. Both players should take a lot of confidence from that knock and will be looking to continue their good work through the rest of the tournament. If only KXIP can get runs from the willow of their skipper at the top of the innings and if David Hussey can finish off well, KXIP will be a much more potent unit.

Praveen Kumar might not have the pace to give batsmen sleepless nights, but he certainly seems to have mastered the art of bowling in T20 cricket. Maiden overs are gold dust in this format and Praveen seems to be able deliver those consistently; apart from holding the record for bowling the most maiden overs in IPL history, he’s also bowled maiden overs in three of the six matches he’s played this season.

It is five matches apiece in the ten previous matches between the Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab.

Apart from the inaugural season when KXIP defeated DD in both the matches and in the 2012 season when DD won both their matches against KXIP, the two teams have shared one match in each of the other seasons.

The average first innings total in IPL matches at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium is 164. Even this season, we’ve seen teams batting first post in excess of 160 in three of the four matches.

What Next

The Delhi Daredevils head to their adopted home venue – Chattisgarh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur – for their next fixture against Pune Warriors India on April 28. Kings XI Punjab meanwhile head to Kolkata for the clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 26.