The match 38 of IPL 2023 between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Mohali’s IS Bindra Stadium on Friday, 28 April promises to be an exciting contest. Punjab is on the sixth position in the points table, while Lucknow is on the fourth position.
PBKS, led by Shikhar Dhawan, have won four and lost three matches so far, while LSG, captained by KL Rahul, have also won four and lost three matches in their campaign. In their last match, PBKS secured a comfortable victory over the Mumbai Indians (MI). Meanwhile, LSG were dominated by the Gujarat Titans (GT) 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 fifth win in the IPL 2023. Both teams have played seven matches in this season. Punjab has won 1 game, while Lucknow has won 1 game so far in the head to head encounters.
Also Read: IPL 2023 PBKS vs LSG: Live Streaming – Where to Watch Match 38 Live on TV and Online?
Here are three player battles to watch out for during PBKS vs LSG match:
1) KL Rahul vs Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh has been performing exceptionally well in IPL 2023 and has already dismissed KL Rahul once this season, conceding just 17 runs off 18 balls. Since Rahul has played for PBKS from 2018 to 2021, he would have faced Arshdeep a lot in the nets. In his IPL career, Rahul has been dismissed 12 times by left-arm pacers out of 59 innings.
2) Liam Livingstone vs Ravi Bishnoi
LSG knows the danger that Liam Livingstone can pose in the middle overs. As Livingstone struggles against leg-spinners, Ravi Bishnoi could be used against him. In the 14 IPL matches that they have played against each other, Livingstone has been dismissed by leg-spinners five times and has a strike rate of only 119.40 against them. However, he has scored 15 runs off seven balls without being dismissed by Bishnoi.
3) Nicholas Pooran vs Rahul Chahar
Nicholas Pooran has been playing some useful innings this season and could be a threat to PBKS bowlers. He could face Rahul Chahar in the middle overs, even though leg-spinners have dismissed him five times in 27 IPL innings. Pooran has a strike rate of 158.77 against leg-spinners and has scored 32 runs off 20 balls without being dismissed by Chahar.