IPL 2024, LSG vs GT: Decoding the key player battles
Match 21 of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) will see Lucknow Super Giants take on Gujarat Titans. LSG won two games on the bounce after losing their season opener. GT have blown hot and cold, having won two of their four games. Meanwhile, it would be an enticing battle between two well-balanced teams. Here we decode the player battles.
Shubman Gill vs Krunal Pandya
Shubman Gill has been a run machine for GT. He also owns impressive numbers against LSG. However, he has struggled against Krunal Pandya, who has dismissed him once across seven IPL meetings. The left-arm spinner has also kept Gill at bay, conceding just 53 runs off 52 balls in IPL. As per ESPNcricinfo, Gill's overall IPL record against left-arm spinners is impressive (141.87).
David Miller vs Mayank Yadav
David Miller can cause some serious damage with his big hitting toward the end. However, he would need to tackle Mayank Yadav's thunderbolts in the LSG game. The latter often clocked over 150 KMPH in his first two games, claiming three wickets apiece on both occasions. Mayank owns an economy of 6.85 against southpaws in IPL. Miller's IPL strike rate against pace reads 145.20.
Quinton de kock vs Umesh Yadav
LSG's Quinton de kock smoked match-winning fifties in his last two outings. He would not mind making it three on the bounce. Umesh Yadav, who has struggled this season, will have little margin of error against the southpaw in the powerplay. Though the pacer has dismissed de Kock once across five IPL meetings, the latter has a strike rate of 151.28 in this battle.
Nicholas Pooran vs Rashid Khan
Nicholas Pooran is pivotal to LSG's middle-over plans and in that phase, he will have to negotiate with Rashid Khan's bowling. In five IPL meetings, Pooran has only scored 14 runs at a strike rate of 63.63, besides being dismissed once. Overall, the southpaw has scored 27 runs in nine T20 innings against Rashid, falling to him twice (SR: 62.79).
Key details about the match
Lucknow's Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium will host this clash on April 7 (7:30pm IST). The track here has been low and slow and has assisted spinners. Batters, who have built their innings patiently, have managed to score runs. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on JioCinema.
