FANTASY PREVIEW
Follow UsTwo of the most consistent sides in this edition of the Indian Premier League, Lucknow Super Giants, lock horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore in an evening encounter on Tuesday, April 18, at the DY Patil Stadium stadium in Mumbai.
Lucknow and Bangalore will enter the contest riding high on confidence after recording comprehensive wins in their last league game against the Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals.
The two teams have registered four wins in their six league matches and will be itching to put a clinical performance and consolidate their position in the top two of the points.
SUGGESTED TEAM
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.
GROUND DETAILS
The average first innings score batting at the DY Patil stadium is around the 172-run mark, while the average winning total batting first is 193 runs. In the first match of the tournament at the venue, Punjab Kings chased 206 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore, with an over to spare.
With the top order of the Bangalore side struggling to find some form, they would be keen to get onto the ground, which is conducive for strokeplay.
In the bowling department, the pacers have scalped 73 wickets out of the total 112 dismissals, which is 65.2 percent of the tally. They have picked on an average of 3.6 wickets per innings compared to only two wickets by the spinners every innings.
SUGGESTED CAPTAIN
KL Rahul
After scoring a century in his 100th IPL game, all eyes will be on KL Rahul in this high-voltage clash. The skipper of the LSG enthralled the fans at the Brabourne Stadium with a masterclass to set up the win for his side.
With 235 runs in six innings at an average of 47, Rahul is second on the list of leading run-scorers in the tournament.
His ability to play spin well makes him one of the key players for the Super Giants against the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Wanindu Hasaranga.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Rahul to score runs 31-47 in this match.
X-FACTORS
Dinesh Karthik
One of the standout performers in this edition of the tournament, Dinesh Karthik, is the leading run-scorer for Bangalore, with 197 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 209.6.
With the top-order struggling for runs, the onus will rely heavily on Karthik to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility of the side and guide the team over the line.
He will set foot on the ground riding high on confidence after his blistering half-century against the Capitals and will look to continue his sublime form in the upcoming fixture.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Karthik to score 34-50 runs in this match.
Quinton de Kock
While all eyes have been on KL Rahul in the tournament, Quinton de Kock has silently gone about his duty and scored 212 runs in six innings at an average of 35.33 and a strike rate of 135.8.
With Rahul playing the anchor role for the side, the southpaw makes optimum use of the field restriction to ensure the team gets off a flying start in the powerplay.
He has been a vital cog in the batting unit of the Super Giants, and the team rely on him to lay a solid foundation at the top.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts de Kock to pick up 26-38 runs in this match.
Wanindu Hasaranga
With 11 wickets in six innings at an average of 17.7 and a strike rate of 12.5, Wanindu Hasaranga has been the trump card for the Challengers.
The leg spinner has been in sublime form in the tournament and scalped wickets at regular intervals in the middle overs to dent the scoring rate of the opposition.
With the opposition batting unit relying heavily on their openers, Hasaranga would be the key for Faf du Plessis in his bid to create early inroads.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Hasaranga to pick up 1-2 wickets in this match.