The match 51 of IPL 2023 between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, 7 May promises to be an exciting contest. Gujarat is on the first position in the points table, while Lucknow is on the third position.
GT, led by Hardik Pandya, have won seven and lost three matches so far, while LSG, captained by Krunal Pandya, have won five and lost four matches in their campaign. In their last match, GT secured a comfortable victory against Gujarat Titans (RR). Meanwhile, LSG shared a solitary point against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their last match.
Two highly skilled teams are set to collide in what promises to be an exciting match. With both the teams eager to secure their eighth and sixth win in the IPL 2023. Both teams have played ten matches in this season. Gujarat has won 3 games, while Lucknow has won 0 games so far in the head to head encounters.
Also Read: Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants: Who Will Win Today Match in IPL 2023?
Here are three player battles to watch out for during GT vs LSG match:
1) Shubman Gill vs Krunal Pandya
Although Shubman Gill is the leading run-scorer for GT this season with 375 runs, he has had difficulty facing Krunal Pandya, who dismissed him earlier in the season. Krunal’s left-arm spin has also restricted Gill’s scoring to just 29 runs off 37 balls in the IPL. However, Gill’s overall IPL record against left-arm spinners is impressive, with a strike rate of 134.44.
2) Hardik Pandya vs Ravi Bishnoi
GT captain Hardik Pandya is in excellent form, having scored a quickfire unbeaten 39 off just 15 balls against Rajasthan Royals in his last match. As a leg-spinner, Ravi Bishnoi will have to come up with a precise plan against him. Hardik has already scored 55 runs off 25 balls against Bishnoi without being dismissed in the IPL. His overall IPL strike rate against leg-spinners is 130.10.
3) Nicholas Pooran vs Rashid Khan
LSG’s middle-order relies heavily on Nicholas Pooran, but he will have to face the bowling of Rashid Khan in the middle overs. Pooran has struggled against Rashid, scoring just 13 runs in five IPL encounters at a strike rate of 65 and getting dismissed once. In eight T20 innings against Rashid, Pooran has scored 26 runs and has fallen to him twice at a strike rate of 65.41.