Kolkata Knight Riders will look to extend their winning streak when they take on the Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday, May 8.
Ajinkya
Rahane's men lost five out of their first six matches in IPL 2026. However, they have managed to win three games on the bounce and will head into the one on Friday as slight favourites. Especially after ending Sunrisers Hyderabad's five-match winning streak in their last game.
Meanwhile, the Capitals are not in great form, having won two out of their last eight matches. Axar Patel and Co. have lost four out of the five games they have played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in IPL 2026.
Here is Kolkata Knight Riders’ strongest predicted XI vs Delhi Capitals:
Top-order: Ajinkya Rahane (C), Finn Allen, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (WK)
Ajinkya Rahane has scored 205 runs in nine innings at an average of 25.63 and a strike rate of 131.42. He will look to play the anchor's role while the others could bat around him. Finn Allen came back into the side in the last game and scored 29 off 13 balls. His battle with Mitchell Starc in the power play would make for a fascinating watch. Talking about Angkrish Raghuvanshi, he returned to form in the last game, scoring a 47-ball 59. His role at No. 3 is crucial for the Knights.
Middle-order: Rinku Singh, Cameron Green, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Anukul Roy
Rinku Singh had a dismal start to the campaign but has bounced back commendably. He has amassed 158 runs in his last three innings and hasn't been dismissed. Cameron Green has shown glimpses of his talent. The Knights would want him to fire on all cylinders, especially with the bat, on a ground which has relatively small boundaries.
Manish Pandey was picked in the playing XI for the first time in IPL 2026 for the last game, but he didn't get to bat. It will be interesting to see what role he is given by the team management. Rovman Powell has made some handy contributions with the bat, but his fielding skills have enthralled the fans so far. He has taken some stunning catches and saved a lot of runs this season. Anukul Roy has shown the knack of picking up wickets, and he can also play crucial innings with the bat, like the one against the Rajasthan Royals.
Bowlers: Sunil Narine, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora (IMP)
Sunil Narine picked up his 200th IPL wicket in the last game. The mystery spinner has bowled his overs at a mind-boggling economy rate of 6.81. Kartik Tyagi, on the other hand, has taken 11 wickets in nine matches at an average of 26.36. Varun Chakaravarthy has been the pick of the bowlers for KKR since returning from an injury. He has taken 10 wickets in seven matches at an average of 22.20. The 10 scalps have come in the last four games. Vaibhav Arora has blown hot and cold. He will look to give his team an early breakthrough inside the power play.
KKR's predicted playing XI for match 51, IPL 2026
Ajinkya Rahane (C), Finn Allen, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (WK), Rinku Singh, Cameron Green, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Impact Player: Vaibhav Arora
