IPL 2024: Banking on home advantage, LSG eye first win of season against PBKS

Lucknow: It will be a clash of titans when Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), two teams hungry for redemption after their recent defeats, battle it out in Match 11 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Saturday.

Lucknow Super Giants, led by the dynamic duo of KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock at the top, are determined to shake off the disappointment of their opening match defeat. With the likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Marcus Stoinis, and Nicholas Pooran forming a formidable middle order, they aimed to set the stadium ablaze with their power-packed batting display.

Nicholas Pooran’s 63 and K.L. Rahul’s 58 went in vain after Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 20 runs in the fourth match of the IPL.

It seems like LSG has a challenging task ahead, especially with their bowling unit struggling to contain the opposition. With key players like Mark Wood and David Willey absent, the pace battery faces a daunting task. Ravi Bishnoi's lacklustre performance adds to their concerns. However, skipper Rahul's resilient knock and the middle-order firepower offer them some hope. Quinton de Kock's return to form will be crucial, along with Marcus Stoinis's performance.

LSG's new head coach Justin Langer expressed his satisfaction at helping his squad "get a bit of rust out" and his eagerness to take advantage of home-ground advantage. On paper, LSG's pace stocks are superior to those of Kings', but Langer stated the night before the game that they will hold off on unleashing Shamar Joseph in this league.

Regarding Joseph, Langer remarked, "I love his spirit and athleticism but he's still very young. He's pushing hard for selection but I don't think he'll play tomorrow though, said Langer. The head coach continued, "LSG will decide a final XI on Saturday, but they have traditionally played three overseas batters and one foreign bowler, which has brought them success.”

On the other side of the fence, Punjab Kings are buoyed by their opening game victory against Delhi Capitals but stung by a narrow loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Led by the seasoned campaigner Shikhar Dhawan, supported by the explosive Jonny Bairstow and a solid middle-order comprising Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, and the talented Prabhsimran Singh, they are poised to unleash their batting firepower against the opposition.

Jonny Bairstow, who opens for Punjab, has scored 9 and 8 in the first two games and has not been able to find his rhythm. Alternatively, PBKS could substitute Sikandar Raza, an additional spinner-all-rounder, for Bairstow in this specific match, strengthening the middle order. Prabhsimran Singh could be promoted in the batting order and take Bairstow's spot as an opener to partner skipper Dhawan.

Punjab Kings have a mixed record and are looking for improved performance, especially in the powerplay overs. They rely on Jonny Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan for stability at the top order. All-rounder Sam Curran's batting prowess is well-established, but his bowling needs tightening. Kagiso Rabada leads the bowling department, supported by Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel. Harpreet Brar has impressed, but Rahul Chahar needs to step up.

Overall, both teams have some areas to improve in, and the upcoming matches will be crucial for their standings in the tournament. However, LSG will have an upper hand with two wins in three games against PBKS. And with home support behind them in the match, they will look to maintain their domination. Their last clash at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali was a high-scoring affair as 458 runs were scored in 40 overs.

In the IPL 2023, the Ekana Stadium is the worst possible track for hitters. Among the 10 venues that saw at least five matches, the average scoring rate is the lowest at 6.93. The highest balls-per-boundary ratio is recorded at 7.7, and bounce is frequently poor, particularly on black-soil surfaces. It will be intriguing to see how these two potent hitting lineups perform in the match on Saturday.

Squads:

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh, Prerak Mankad, Yash Thakur, Amit Mishra, Shamar Joseph, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, K. Gowtham, Shivam Mavi, Arshin Kulkarni, M. Siddharth, Ashton Turner, David Willey, Mohd. Arshad Khan.

Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Jonny Bairstow, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Prabhsimran Singh, Rilee Rossouw, Jitesh Sharma, Sam Curran, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Shashank Singh, Shivam Singh, Sikandar Raza, Atharva Taide, Chris Woakes, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, Nathan Ellis, Harpreet Brar, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Prince Choudhary, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Singh, Tanay Thyagarajan.