Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are aiming for a comeback after losing their first match in the Indian Premier League. Despite KL Rahul’s impressive knock of 58 runs in his return game, LSG fell short against Rajasthan Royals by 20 runs. Their bowlers, except for Krunal Pandya, struggled, highlighting the need for a better team effort.
LSG’s pace bowling lineup looks thin without key players like Mark Wood and David Willey. This puts pressure on bowlers like Mohsin Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Yash Thakur. Ravi Bishnoi, aiming for a T20 World Cup spot, will also look to bounce back after a below-par performance.
LSG’s batting lineup, including Quinton de Kock, Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, and Deepak Hooda, will be crucial for stability and power in the middle order.
Punjab Kings (PBKS), led by Shikhar Dhawan, seek consistency after a mixed start. They won one and lost one match so far. With Jonny Bairstow needing to perform at the top, PBKS aims for a better start in the powerplay overs. Dhawan himself aims to improve his strike rate after a slow start against RCB.
In bowling, PBKS looks for support for Kagiso Rabada from Sam Curran, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshal Patel. Harpreet Brar has impressed, but Rahul Chahar needs to step up. Vice-captain Jitesh Sharma also aims to strengthen his case for the World Cup with a good performance.
Likely XIs:
LSG Batting First: Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul (c/wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq
LSG Bowling First: Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul (c/wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yash Thakur
PBKS Batting First: Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prabhsimran Singh, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar
PBKS Bowling First: Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh