IPL Match Today: KL Rahul to continue as opener after solid outing; will Punjab drop Bairstow? LSG vs PBKS likely XIs

IPL Match Today, LSG vs PBKS: Lucknow Super Giants will eye a first win of the season when they meet the Punjab Kings in IPL 2024 match on Saturday

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will be eager to bounce back from their opening game loss when they face off against Punjab Kings in their second match of the Indian Premier League. Despite a valiant effort from skipper KL Rahul, who made 58 in his comeback game, LSG faltered against Rajasthan Royals, losing by 20 runs. The bowling department, apart from Krunal Pandya, struggled to contain the opposition, highlighting the need for a more cohesive effort from the entire team.

With key players like Mark Wood and David Willey absent, LSG’s pace bowling lineup appears thin, putting pressure on the likes of Mohsin Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Yash Thakur to step up. Additionally, Ravi Bishnoi, vying for a spot in the T20 World Cup squad, will also be keen to deliver an impactful performance after a lacklustre outing in the tournament opener.

Hindustan Times – your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

LSG will rely heavily on their batting lineup, including the likes of Quinton de Kock, Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, and Deepak Hooda, to provide stability and firepower at the top and middle order.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings (PBKS) will be looking to find their rhythm after a mixed start to their campaign, having won one and lost one so far. Led by Shikhar Dhawan, PBKS will be aiming for more fluency in the powerplay, with Jonny Bairstow needing to fire at the top of the order. Dhawan himself acknowledged the need to up his strike rate after a slow start against RCB..

In the bowling department, PBKS will look for better support for Kagiso Rabada from the likes of Sam Curran, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshal Patel. Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar has impressed thus far, but leg-spinner Rahul Chahar will need to raise his game. Vice-captain Jitesh Sharma will also be eager to make a strong case for himself ahead of the World Cup with a solid performance.

Here are the likely XIs for both sides:

LSG likely XI if 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 likely XI if 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

Impact player options Deepak Hooda, Yash Thakur, Prerak Mankad, Yudhvir Singh

PBKS likely XI if 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 likely XI if bowling first Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

Impact player options Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan

Source