IPL 2024, LSG vs MI: Decoding the key player battles
Mumbai Indians will cross swords with Lucknow Super Giants in Match 48 of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). MI, who own just three triumphs in nine fixtures, need a series of victories from here on to stay alive in the playoff race. LSG, meanwhile, have five wins in nine outings. Here we decode the key player battles.
Nicholas Pooran vs Piyush Chawla
LSG's designated finisher Nicholas Pooran has been in excellent form and his expertise in playing spin will come in handy against MI's Piyush Chawla. As per ESPNcricinfo, the veteran leg-spinner conceded 18 runs off seven balls in his only meeting versus Pooran in IPL. In 35 IPL innings, Pooran has fallen to leggies six times. (SR: 165.44).
Surykumar Yadav vs Ravi Bishnoi
Suryakumar Yadav has had a mixed campaign in IPL 2024 so far. However, LSG would be aware of the threat he can possess. Meanwhile, SKY's main challenge will be against Ravi Bishnoi. Bishnoi has dismissed him thrice in seven IPL innings, while he scored 39 runs off 32 balls. In 72 IPL innings, SKY has been dismissed 15 times by leggies (SR: 133.33).
KL Rahul vs Jasprit Bumrah
As both KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah have been in sensational form in IPL 2024, their battle in the powerplay overs would be enticing. Though Bumrah has dismissed the LSG skipper twice across 12 IPL meetings, Rahul has accumulated 143 runs off 112 balls in this battle. Rahul has been dismissed thrice in powerplay across nine games this year.
Rohit Sharma vs Mohsin Khan
Rohit Sharma, who was dismissed in single digits in his last two outings, would want to make a significant mark. His recent struggles against left-arm pacers make his face-off with Mohsin Khan interesting. The MI opener has fallen to left-arm fast bowlers four times across nine innings in IPL 2024 though his strike rate in this regard reads a brilliant 192.85.
Key details about the match
Lucknow's Ekana Cricket Stadium will host this duel on April 30 (7:30pm IST). This venue is known for its slow tracks. While the seamers cash in on the red-soil pitches, the black-soil decks support spinners. Notably, the latter makes the run-scoring difficult. Star Sports will telecast the match, and fans can also live-stream it on JioCinema for free.
