Lucknow Super Giants
Punjab Kings
As the third week of the IPL 2023 draws to a close, the upcoming clash between the Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings in Lucknow is generating a lot of buzz.
LSG secured a nail-biting victory in their previous match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. In contrast, Punjab Kings suffered a comprehensive defeat against Gujarat Titans at IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. The top bookmakers in India have fantastic IPL odds with them.
Lucknow Super Giants have been impressive so far this season, winning three out of their four games and holding the second spot on the points table with a net run rate of +1.048. On the other hand, PBKS have had a mixed start to the season, having lost two out of their four games and currently sitting in the sixth position on the points table with four points and a net run rate of -0.226.
Lucknow Super GiantsPunjab KingsLucknow Super Giants' previous match against RCB saw some outstanding performances from their star players. Nicholas Pooran smashed a breathtaking 62 off just 19 balls, while Marcus Stoinis contributed with a blistering knock of 65 off 30 balls, aided by the impressive display of the young and sensational Ayush Badoni. Their performances were crucial in securing a thrilling victory for the team. However, despite the win, Lucknow Super Giants' bowling performance was below par as they conceded a mammoth 212 runs while managing to take only two wickets. This calls for a re-evaluation of their bowling strategy, and necessary changes may need to be made ahead of their upcoming match against the Punjab Kings.
Lucknow Super Giants are unlikely to change their starting XI but Ayush Badoni or Krishnappa Gowtham can be used as impact players depending upon the match situation.
Predicted Lineup: KL Rahul(c), Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Nicholas Pooran(wk), Jaydev Unadkat, Amit Mishra, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, Ravi Bishnoi.
Punjab Kings in their last match batting first scored 153 losing eight wickets. In their last match against Gujarat Titans, their openers failed to get going and their middle order was too slow to post a match-winning total which ended up being 15-20 runs short and as a result they lost. Except for Shikhar Dhawan, Punjab Kings need to find another reliable batsman like Liam Livingstone who could help them with their batting.
Punjab Kings are likely to change their playing XI strengthening their batting line-up and so addition of someone like Liam Livingstone in place of Bhanuka Rajpaksha would be good.
Predicted Lineup: Shikhar Dhawan(c), Prabhsimran Singh, Matthew Short, Jitesh Sharma(wk), Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Shah Rukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh.
In their previous match, Punjab Kings could only manage a total of 153 while losing eight wickets. Despite Shikhar Dhawan's contribution, their batting lacked a reliable second option, which led to a 15-20 run shortfall and ultimately resulted in a loss against Gujarat Titans. Therefore, Punjab Kings will need to find another dependable batsman, like Liam Livingstone, to strengthen their middle order for their upcoming match against Lucknow Super Giants.
