Lucknow Super Giants versus Punjab Kings, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, 7:30 PM
What to expect
A battle of spin. Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, due to its large ground dimensions and history of aiding spinners, will see both teams rely heavily on spin for this encounter.
Ravi Bishnoi, Digvesh Rathi, Shahbaz Ahmed, or M Siddharth for LSG, and Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, and Glenn Maxwell for PBKS. LSG have more options, but PBKS certainly have more experience with Chahal in their ranks.
While spinners will relish bowling at what could be the most bowler-friendly venue in this IPL, batters will face a stern challenge. LSG hold a mixed record at home, and even their top batters have struggled on these surfaces. Nicholas Pooran, LSG’s leading batter this season, averages under 25 at Ekana in 14 games. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant has had his share of struggles against wrist-spin since last year. On the PBKS side, apart from Shreyas Iyer, there aren’t many players known for their proficiency against spin.
LSG set to play 4 spinners, What about PBKS?
Marcus Stoinis, with his experience, will be key for LSG, while Glenn Maxwell will look to back after failing with the bat in Ahmedabad. Despite having limited bowling resources, LSG have performed well as a unit, with Shardul Thakur leading the attack. PBKS, on the other hand, possesses an attack suited for all conditions, backed by strong reserves.
LSG might not hesitate to field four spinners, whereas PBKS lack similar depth in their spin department. With both bowling units set to thrive, the match will ultimately be decided by which team handles the conditions better with the bat.
Key Battle
Wrist spin troubled Pant last year. Even in the first game, he was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav. In this game, he will face the challenge of tackling Chahal, who has dismissed the LSG skipper three times in the past. The battle between Bishnoi and Digvesh against the likes of Iyer and Stoinis will also be one to watch.
LSG Likely XI:
Aiden Markram has failed in two games but is likely to retain his place. Shahbaz or Siddharth could come in as the impact player.
Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (wk/c), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav. Impact sub: Shahbaz Ahmed/M Siddharth
PBKS Likely XI
Extra pace has proven effective in Lucknow. Given his record against Pooran and Pant, PBKS may be tempted to bring in Lockie Ferguson.
Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen/Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal. Impact sub: Harpreet Brar/Vijaykumar Vyshak
Pitch and Weather
The match is set to be played on a red soil pitch, which means extra bounce will be on offer for the bowlers. Spinners will get assistance from this wicket, making batting a tough challenge. There are no chances of precipitation or thunderstorms during the game.
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