IPL 2026: KKR win toss, choose to bowl first against DC
New Delhi, May 8
Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and opted to bowl first against Delhi Capitals in their Indian Premier League 2026 match on Friday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane said after winning the toss that the team chose to bowl first, emphasising the importance of assessing the pitch conditions and adapting accordingly. He added that the wicket is difficult to read, so the side needs to focus on playing good cricket. Rahane also noted that the team's break helped improve morale and that the players are in good form.
"We will bowl first. In the last three games, it's important to see the wicket and play accordingly. It's difficult to read the wicket; we have to play good cricket. When we had a break, the mood was great and the players were doing well," Rahane said at the toss presentations.
Delhi Capitals started their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign well but have since hit a rough patch, losing four of their last five games. With the playoff battle intensifying, they go into today's match in a must-win situation, currently sitting seventh on the points table with four victories from 10 matches.
Kolkata Knight Riders are also placed precariously, despite winning their last three games. They are eighth on the points table and will be aiming to continue their winning momentum to steady their campaign and climb the standings.
DC vs KKR playing 11s
Delhi Capitals: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul(w), Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel(c), Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar.
DC Impact Sub options: Kuldeep Yadav, Karun Nair, Abhishek Porel, T Natarajan, David Miller
Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane(c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.
KKR Impact Sub options: Finn Allen, Ramandeep Singh, Tejasvi Singh, Navdeep Saini, Tim Seifert.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Both teams are in such a tight spot on the table. DC losing four of last five is worrying - they need KL Rahul to fire today. Also, why is Kuldeep not in the playing XI? 😤 He's their best spinner!
Interesting to see Manish Pandey back in KKR's lineup - he's been in decent form this season. But Rovman Powell as finisher? His strike rate has been poor lately. KKR might struggle in death overs.
As a neutral fan, I'm excited to see Starc vs Green battle! Both are quality players. But honestly, DC's batting looks fragile without Pant - Nissanka and Rana need to step up today. Win is crucial for them. 🤞
KKR's three-match winning streak is impressive but they're still eighth! Shows how competitive IPL is this year. One small suggestion for KKR management - drop Anukul Roy and bring in Ramandeep for some power hitting. Also, why no Kuldeep Yadav in DC's XI? Strange decision by Axar Patel. 🤔
Have to admit, both teams are in do-or-die mode and every match from now on is like a knockout! DC's bowling looks strong with Starc and Ngidi but batting is a concern. KKR's middle order is unpredictable - either they collapse or put up 200+ 😂. Let's see who handles pressure better!
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