Lucknow Super Giants and defending champions Gujarat Titans are only playing their second season in the Indian Premier League but are no strangers to each other. 

The two teams clashed twice in 2022 and will come out all guns blazing when they face off yet again at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday, April 22, in the afternoon fixture. The match will start at 3:30 PM IST.

Both LSG and GT got off to a rollicking start in IPL 2023 and are well-placed ahead of the blockbuster clash. KL Rahul’s men are second on the points table only behind Rajasthan Royals on net run rate. GT, meanwhile, will want to break away from the mid-table jam and join the two teams on top of the points table. 

Interestingly, LSG and GT came into the match having played RR in their previous contest. While LSG beat RR by 10 runs in Jaipur on Wednesday, GT were at the receiving end and lost the home game on Sunday by three wickets in the final over. 

Super Giants to watch out for

The BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium offers both spin-friendly black-soil and bouncy red-soil pitches. The team selection and the Impact Player strategy will depend on the track to be used for the game. 

Some things, however, are clear. KL Rahul and Kyle Mayers at the top are looking solid and will be LSG’s go-to men. 

KL Rahul comes into the match having scored a sublime 74 against Punjab Kings followed by a gritty 39 against Royals. Mayers, meanwhile, has hit three fifties this season already at a strike rate of over 150. 

Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran have scored consistently at a rapid pace and will be crucial down the order. 

Mark Wood is the leading wicket taker for the hosts with 11 wickets from four matches but his availability remains a cause of concern for LSG. Ravi Bishnoi’s right-arm leg spin and Krunal Pandya’s left-arm variations will be Lucknow’s weapons in the spin department. 

Titans in the Gujarat camp

Rashid Khan and Hardik Pandya, arguably among the most impactful all-rounders in world cricket, will be in action against the LSG on Saturday. 

Besides the duo, Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan and David Miller will most likely be in GT’s starting XI. India’s premier fast bowler Mohammed Shami will be Gujarat’s strike bowler in the powerplay overs.

LSG vs GT head-to-head

LSG faced GT twice last season and ended up on the losing side on both occasions. The first encounter saw Lucknow put on a challenging 158/6 bating first courtesy of stroke-filled half-centuries from Deepak Hooda and Ayush Badoni. A brilliant four-over spell by Krunal Pandya gave away only 17 runs with a wicket of his brother Hardik Pandya. However, Gujarat got over the finish line by five wickets and two balls to spare. 

The second match turned out to be a forgettable outing for LSG as they were bundled out for their lowest-ever total of 82 chasing 144.

Match details

Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans, Match 30

Venue: BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow 

Time: 3:30 PM