PBKS vs DC: Key Insights Before the Big Match

A clear evening in May to the open stands of the HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala, and you'll grasp the significance of this location in the geography of the cricket world. To both sides, the intimate, cosHuggley, warmly lit “stands” that can hold up to 23,000 voices. Leather in front: 22 yards of emerald turf just made and shiny. Behind the sightscreen – not a car park, not a housing block, but vast, lighted and old mountain ranges of Dhauladhar snow-capped. No dot-ball economy rates and no DRS reviews here at the Himalayan peaks! It is just that it stands, as it has done for thousands of years, above the rest of the world – including the stadium, the fans and the far more modest fulfilment of both the dreams of Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals tonight and watch it using Allpannel Exchange ID.

The Stadium's Extraordinary Story

The HPCA Stadium is as much the fruits of human will as it is rocky shores. The world-class ground under construction in Dharamsala – a small, mountain hill station popular tourist destination for both locals and tourists—home to the Dalai Lama, and also a backpacker's heaven – had faced face challenging logistics in the early 2000's when the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association had chosen it for its new home. Construction materials were required to get to the winding mountain roads. There were a number of delays in building that were caused by extreme weather. International cricket was but a negotiation with nature itself because of the subzero winters where the heaviest snowfalls have been recorded in the area. As the stadium had opened in 2003, however, it wouldn't be until it became the venue of its first ODI between India and England (January 2013) and after the players had overcome several blizzards in the previous fortnight, that it was realised that something special was created.

Punjab Kings — Why This Ground Is Their Second Home

The Punjabi capital of Dharamsala has been a second home for Punjab Kings, and rightly so. Their personalities fit the way the game is played here: their pace-bowling nature, their speedy approach to play, the 'true and fast' outfield, the ball being sent to the sky to lengthen the bounce — it's all in their DNA. The even spaced surface of their base and faster than average outfield helps their batting order, because the trotlines maximise their strike rate.Their batting order helps from the even spaced surface of their base with the faster than average outfield as the trotlines boost their strike rate. Woolies such as Cooper Connolly, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh are the types of clean strikers who are able to hit a sea level good length to ensure it clears the boundary at 1,457 metres. The nature of Dharamsala's record lends weight to the argument, as the second four matches of the IPT series have been won by the home team, most of the times because spinners lose grip on the ball due to the presence of evening dew in the middle. Punjab knows this. They will develop their game around it tonight.

Delhi Capitals — Arriving as Strangers 

The Delhi player on the other hand, enters the arena with less familiarity of the pitch conditions than Punjab. This is not necessarily a handicap in itself, as cricketers of class adjust well enough to their surroundings, but it makes for one more variable in what is sure to be a tough day at the office. KL Rahul's bat is made ready for the swing and bounce that come with a pitch like that provided by HPCA: Rahul has a proven track record when it comes to the Test cricket circuit. However, the Delhi spinners, including Kuldeep Yadav and even captain Axar Patel himself, will have to contend with a situation where there is no dew left unturned when their turn comes around in the second innings.

Conclusion

All the HPCA Stadium's factors are working in favor of DC  tonight. They get their mighty batterers a boost from altitude. Early into the season, the suit is their fore-race. Delhi's spinning attack gets neutralised as well in the dew. The energy of the home crowd – 23,000 voices in the Dhauladhar – will fill balls in Punjab's arms at difficult times. Now, the competition is loud and clear in saying tonight that it wants a home win. Follow Matchbox9 for regular updates.

Winner:  Delhi Capitals