Introduction
The image of Kagiso Rabada clean bowling Andre Russell with a scintillating yorker in 2019 Indian Premier League has to be the perfect image that defines any battle between Delhi and Kolkata. The two sides have a number of match-winners, but Delhi’s fast bowlers, Rabada, Ishant Sharma and Anrich Nortje, remain their X-players. Kolkata, on the other hand, has one of the strongest middle orders with Eoin Morgan, Russell and Dinesh Karthik in the ranks. They can smash any bowler out of the park on their day, which is what makes the battle between Delhi and Kolkata an engrossing one.
Though Delhi will likely be without the services of skipper Shreyas Iyer this season, they have enough candidates who can take over the role. Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith and Shikhar Dhawan all provide captaincy options, while Kolkata will see Morgan lead the side, after having taken over from Dinesh Karthik midway through the Indian T20 domestic league in 2020.
Overall, the two sides have played each other 26 times in the history of the T20 league, with Delhi winning 11 times and Kolkata just inching ahead, with 14 wins.
Delhi vs Kolkata – Head to Head Record in the Indian T20 league
| Matches | Delhi | Kolkata | Tie/NR |
| 27 | 12 | 14 | 0/1 |
In the 2020 edition, Delhi scored a massive 228 for 4 in the first game against Kolkata, in the game that was held at Sharjah. Kolkata fought back strongly, scoring 210 for 8, but fell just short of what would have been an epic run chase. They got their revenge in the reverse fixture, however, as Kolkata scored 194 for 6, which proved to be 59 runs too many for the Delhi side.
Top 3 Performers Comparison and Stats:
The Kolkata and Delhi teams have shared a good battle over the seasons, with their close head-to-head record being proof of the same. Players raising their game when their team is in a tough position with both bat and ball has become a common sight, and we look at a few top performers in encounters between Delhi and Kolkata.
Only players in the current squad have been considered, so it is easier to make your MPL fantasy team when the two sides clash later this season.
Batsmen (Delhi):
| Batsmen | Runs v Kolkata |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 734 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 478 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 425 |
Bowlers (Delhi)
| Bowlers | Wickets v Kolkata |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 20 |
| Amit Mishra | 17 |
| Umesh Yadav | 13 |
Batsmen (Kolkata)
| Batsmen | Runs v Delhi |
| Dinesh Karthik | 443 |
| Andre Russell | 272 |
| Karun Nair | 258 |
Bowlers (Kolkata)
| Bowlers | Wickets v Delhi |
| Harbhajan Singh | 24 |
| Sunil Narine | 17 |
| Andre Russell | 13 |
Delhi vs Kolkata, Indian T20 League Schedule 2021
Nothing separates the two sides when it comes to the head-to-head encounters in the last few seasons of the Indian T20 league. More often than not, either side has won a game each in every season, and they will be raring to have a go this time around as well. Delhi suffered a huge loss against Kolkata last year – by a margin of 59 runs – and they will be looking to get their revenge.
The two teams will play both their games in Ahmedabad this year, which should help the spinners.
We take a look at the full schedule between Delhi and Kolkata in the Indian T20 domestic league 2021.
| Date | Matches | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Thursday, 29 April, 2021 | Delhi vs Kolkata | Motera Stadium, Ahmedabad | 7.30 PM |
| Tuesday, 28 September 2021 | Kolkata vs Delhi | Sharjah, UAE | 3.30 PM |
Statistics and Facts of Delhi vs Kolkata
We have witnessed a number of close games between Delhi and Kolkata over the last few seasons of the Indian T20 domestic league. The games have also thrown up interesting facts and stats, and we take a look at them:
- Andre Russell has a strike rate of 195.69 against Delhi in the tournament – the highest among the top 50 run scorers against the team. Overall, the Kolkata all-rounder has scored 227 runs in just seven innings with an average of 32.43.
- Russell is only the third bowler in the history of the Indian T20 domestic league to score more than 200 runs and pick 10+ wickets against Delhi. He has picked up 13 wickets and has scored 227 runs against them, only behind Shane Watson and Ravindra Jadeja. While Watson has 13 wickets and has scored 531 runs against Delhi, Jadeja has picked up 15 wickets and has amassed 345 runs against them.
- Kolkata’s Harbhajan Singh, who was picked up by the franchise in this year’s auction, is the highest wicket-taker against Delhi in the league. Overall, he has picked up 24 wickets in 22 innings at an average of 23.46 and an economy rate of 6.91.
- Russell has an excellent record against Delhi’s skipper Shreyas Iyer, dismissing him 5 times in the tournament. Iyer has only managed to score runs at a strike rate of 116.67 off Russell.
- The encounter will see Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw in action against each other. Shaw was the skipper of the Under 19 World Cup squad in 2018 that had Gill as a member as well. Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti (both in Kolkata) will go up against their Under 19 skipper as well.
- The Delhi team will be coached by Ricky Ponting, who started his Indian T20 league career with Kolkata as a player in 2008. The Delhi team also has Ishant Sharma, Anrich Nortje and Umesh Yadav, who have played for Kolkata before. For Kolkata, Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell and Pat Cummins have turned out for Delhi in the past.
- The two teams have been involved in a Super Over, in 2019. Delhi managed to win the game.
Delhi vs Kolkata: Overall Head to Head Stats in the Indian T20 League
Overall, Delhi and Kolkata have very little that separates the two as far as head to head battles are concerned.
We look at the yearly results between Bangalore and Kolkata (only Indian T20 league).
| Year | Matches | Delhi | Kolkata | Tie/NR |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2014 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2013 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2012 | 3 | 1 | 2 | – |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2010 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2009 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2008 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0/1 |
How will Delhi vs Kolkata Stats Help You on MPL?
As the encounter between Delhi and Kolkata does not throw up a clear winner, it is difficult to make a winning MPL fantasy team. With the stats that we have presented, you will get a clearer idea of the players who have excelled when the two teams have played against each other in the past.
Download the MPL app now, get accustomed to fantasy cricket and get playing in the Indian domestic T20 league to stand a chance to win exciting prizes.
