Follow UsLucknow Syper Giants (LSG) take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 42 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 at the Maharashtra Cricket Academy (MCA) Stadium, Pune on Friday (April 29). LSG sit in fourth position with 10 points from eight games, while PBKS have eight points in as many matches.
Since winning three out of their first four matches, LSG have managed to win just two more from their next four. PBKS, on the other hand, are yet to string together back-to-back wins this season and after a win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their previous tie, this could very well be the opportunity to do so.
This will be the first meeting between the two sides in IPL will be the only match between the two sides this season, at least in the league stages.
Ground details
Pace seems to be the way to bowl in Pune as they have accounted for 75.6% of the wickets this season. Not just that, the pacers have fared significantly better when it comes to picking up wickets at regular intervals, striking once every 18.1 deliveries, 25.1 runs apart. The corresponding numbers for the spinners 26 and 34.8 respectively.
However, it would be advisable to have a quality spinner, especially a leg-spinner, in your side for this game, given they have the most wickets here after the fast bowlers, accounting for close to 19% of the wickets.
Rahul Chahar or Ravi Bishnoi could be the way to go but Liam Livingstone, who along with bowling a few leg-spinners can whack it a long way with the bat too could also be a viable option.
Suggested team
While you could go for the above team, you could also check out our Fantasy Research Centre section to get more tips.
Captain
There are very few players in the IPL who are more in form than LSG skipper KL Rahul. He has struck two centuries in his last three innings and is the second-highest run-getter this season so far, amassing 368 runs at an impressive strike-rate close to 148. Rahul has scored 1,664 runs at 59.43 since IPL 2020, the most by any batter in this period. He has also scored 15-50-plus scores from 35 innings, which again, is the highest. Safe to say, there is no player, who has been as consistent as Rahul in the last 2-3 seasons.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Rahul could score 41-61 runs in this match
X-Factors
Since IPL 2020, Shikhar Dhawan is right behind Rahul when it comes to consistency having scored 1,507 runs at 41.86, which includes nine fifties and two tons in 41 innings. After a couple of single-digit scores, Dhawan roared back to form with a match-winning 88* against CSK in the previous game. He is just one of four players to have scored over 300 runs this season and has done so at an average of 43.14 and a healthy strike-rate of 132.45. PBKS will hope that he continues to fire at the top.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Dhawan could score 33-49 runs in this match
Only four other pacers have picked up more wickets than Avesh Khan, who has 11 wickets at an economy rate of 8.28 this season. Used mostly in the powerplay and the death, Avesh has a combined 10 wickets in these two phases. He has picked up eight wickets from his last five matches and could be a useful pick in this match, given that Pune has been a haven for fast bowlers this season so far.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Avesh could pick up 0-1 wickets in this match
Liam Livingstone has shown his true potential with the bat this season, making vital contributions throughout. He has already slammed three fifties from eight innings. Among those with at least 200 runs this season, Livingstone’s strike-rate of 187 is the highest after Dinesh Karthik (198). As mentioned earlier, leg-spinners have been the best bowling option after pacers in Pune and we could see Livingstone get into the act with the ball as well.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Livingstone could score 19-29 runs pick up 0-1 wickets in this match
Here are top-10 Criclytics suggestions
Probable XIs:
PBKS: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Rishi Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Sharma, Arshdeep Singh
LSG: Quinton de Kock (wk), KL Rahul (c), Manish Pandey, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Holder, Dushmantha Chameera, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan