Punjab Kings (PBKS) take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as Shikhar Dhawan won the toss and opted to bowl first in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday (April 28).
After missing the last three matches due to injury, Dhawan returned to PBKS' fold. Dhawan dropped Matthew Short and brought Sikandar Raza in PBKS' playing XI.
“Motivation remains the same wherever I play. But yeah, lot more familiar with these conditions. Looks like a good wicket. Dew does become a factor, that's why teams opt to bowl. Same team,” LSG skipper KL Rahul said after the toss.
“Going to bowl. Shoulder is much better - painfree now. We're quite happy. Have got 7 matches ahead, and looking to win most of them. Two changes - Short is out, Raza comes in. And a fast bowler will make his debut,” PBKS captain Dhawan said after winning the toss.
Follow the PBKS vs LSG's live score here
Head-to-Head
In head-to-head encounters PBKS and LSG have played two games against each other in IPL so far. Last season, LSG managed to outplay PBKS by 20 runs in the only game. In the ongoing IPL 2023, PBKS crushed LSG by two wickets in an earlier clash.
Pitch Report
“This is the first time LSG will be playing in Mohali but they have no fewer than 9 players in their ranks who have played previously with the Punjab Kings. So it remains to be seen how that familiarity manifests itself. We are on Pitch No. 3. There is a larger side 75m and 67m, straight hit is 73m. The surface looks like a belter. Nice covering of grass. It seems compact and hard and that suggests to me the ball will come on nicely onto the bat. The Average first innings score in Mohali is 173, but on this pitch PBKS scored 191 vs KKR in the only game they have won at home. So the team batting first will be aiming 200 with the dew factor later on. We expect a high octane contest,” Samuel Badree analysed the match.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Atharva Taide, Shikhar Dhawan(c), Sikandar Raza, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma(w), Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh.
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): KL Rahul(c), Kyle Mayers, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Nicholas Pooran(w), Ayush Badoni, Naveen-ul-Haq, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Yash Thakur.
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