Balanced Delhi favourites against injury-hit Punjab

Match facts

Big picture

It would be easy to say that a strong Delhi Daredevils are going to walk all over an injury-ridden Kings XI Punjab in a pakka North Indian contest but this is Twenty20 and predictions have often proved to be like the Sunday horoscope in your local newspaper. Many will argue that the past counts for little, but do Kings XI Punjab have something over Delhi with a 3-1 advantage in head-to-head matches? That's what they're likely to think when they walk out in front of their boisterous home crowd tomorrow evening, and it could inspire them to do something special after a worrying build-up.

Punjab have been dogged by absences and injuries. Of their two most influential players, Yuvraj Singh is doubtful and Brett Lee will not play. Their tournament history reads like a bad crime novel - not enough twists and turns, too many villains, no shrewd lead characters - and the result is two seasons of inconsistent performances and a bottom four finish in 2009. They were hampered last season by Jerome Taylor pulling out and the absence of some Australian players, but a larger factor was the failure of their Indian players.

Delhi have had no issues getting off the ground; it's when they need to change gears for the final push that they're prone to nosedive. They possess an excellent balance and their top overseas players - bar Daniel Vettori - are available for the entire IPL. They own the best opening pair in international cricket, the dual power of David Warner and Tillakaratne Dilshan to use at No. 3, and AB de Villiers to follow. There only injury concern is the unavailability of Ashish Nehra with a rib injury but the Indian contingent of back-up bowlers is more than handy.

Delhi are overwhelming favourites, but don't rule out Punjab - under a gung-ho captain in Kumar Sangakkara - pulling off a few surprises when backed to the hilt by their fans.

Team talk

The focus has been on the availability of Yuvraj and Lee, Punjab's two most valuable players. The man to replace Yuvraj will probably be his former India team-mate and good friend Mohammad Kaif, and he will immediately be expected to provide stability to the middle order. With Australian opener Shaun Marsh also ruled out with injury and James Hopes and Adrian Barath not yet in India, Punjab are likely to open with Karan Goel and Sangakkara. Goel has been an underachiever so far, scraping together just 200 runs in 16 matches and, like the team's other domestic players, he needs to deliver.

The larger concern is over Lee, who left for Dubai for an injection for his elbow injury. "In case he doesn't get the injection shot there, Lee will fly to Australia. He will not be present here for the next 10 days. We hope he will be back soon," said colonel Arvinder Singh, senior vice president Kings XI Punjab. In Lee's absence, the onus is on Yusuf Abdullah and Sreesanth to strike, while Piyush Chawla and Ramesh Powar have the unenviable task of trying to curb Delhi's attacking instincts.

As Eric Simons, Delhi's assistant coach, put it: "Losing Ashish is going to be difficult as he brings balance to our attack. He's definitely the biggest player we have." So that means the squad's bunch of Indian bowlers will have to be at their best; Nehra's replacement could well be Aavishkar Salvi. The overseas quotient should be Dirk Nannes, AB de Villiers, David Warner and Tillakaratne Dilshan, given Wayne Parnell has yet to link up with the squad having played South Africa's domestic Pro20 final last night.

Previously…

Punjab beat Delhi in both matches during the 2008 season: by four wickets at home and by six runs away. They then suffered a heavy ten-wicket loss in their first encounter in 2009 but restored the advantage by beating Delhi by six wickets.

In the spotlight

Virender Sehwag v Punjab's spinners: The man who once pronounced he had little respect for bowlers of the slow variation should relish the prospect of facing two different types of spinners. Sehwag had a poor outing in the last IPL, often failing to see off the new-ball bowlers, but back at home and in good form he'll be a major threat. Chawla has earned a lot of respect and backing from within the Punjab camp, and Powar is a crafty offspinner whose strength lies in slowing down the pace. When on top of their game the pair can be a handful, but if it's Sehwag's day …

Kumar Sangakkara: Sangakkara didn't do much in South Africa where he struggled to score at hardly more than a run a ball, but now that he's leading Punjab his stock just got higher. He's been talking hard, like he always does, about how Punjab are "spoilt for choice" despite the injuries and absences. Sangakkara could open, as opposed to No. 3, and if that's the case then he's going to have to walk the talk. Him against Dirk Nannes is one contest to relish.

Prime numbers

• Sreesanth managed just six wickets from seven opportunities in the last IPL, at 32.00 and an economy rate of 8.34.

• Delhi were one of the best teams during the last six overs in IPL 2009 - they scored at more than nine runs per over and restricted their opponents to around eight, thanks to bowlers like Nehra.

• That said, Delhi also bowled the most wides (68) and no-balls (19), the highest for a team last season.

• In South Africa, Punjab suffered 22 run outs, the highest for a team. Delhi suffered this fate only six times, but inflicted 22 run-outs on the opposition, the most by a fielding team.

The chatter

"When you are leading a team, then you have pressure on your mind as you have to simultaneously think in various directions and you have to decide on your strategies in various departments. But now I would be able to fully concentrate only on my batting."
A doubtful starter, Yuvraj Singh appears relieved not to be captain.

"We will try to pick up early wickets ... concentrate more on our strengths and try to go out there and enjoy ourselves."
Mahela Jayawardene is, as most always, not one to reveal too much.