Lucknow Super Giants made their debut last season and finished in third place in the points table with nine wins from 14 games. They eventually lost the eliminator game against Royal Challengers Bangalore by 14 runs, marking their exit from the tournament. In 2023, LSG have won two out of three games so far and are currently in first place in the points table. In the first game, they posted a total of 193 runs for the loss of six wickets and then won the game by 50 runs. Mark Wood, who made his LSG debut, won the Player of the Match award as he picked a fifer.
In the second game against the Chennai Super Kings, LSG failed to chase down the target of 218 runs and managed just 205 runs in 20 overs. In the third game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, LSG displayed an incredible bowling performance. They restricted the Sunrisers to just 121 runs for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs. The pitch had enough for the spinners, and Krunal Pandya and Amit Mishra made the most of the situation. Pandya picked three wickets, while Mishra finished with two wickets for 23 runs in four overs. LSG chased down the target easily in 16 overs, and Pandya again played a key role with his knock of 34 runs off 23 deliveries.
LSG Team Setup in IPL 2023
LSG have used Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Mark Wood, and Romario Shepherd as their overseas players in the three games so far. Shepherd replaced Wood in the previous game as he was down with flu. He was dismissed for a golden duck on his LSG debut. Mayers, Pooran, and Wood have delivered some top performances for the LSG so far. Mayers scored half-centuries in his first two outings and is the leading run-scorer for the team. Wood still has the Purple Cap despite missing the last game. Stoinis has not bowled an over in the three games and has also failed with the bat. Quinton de Kock will likely replace him in the upcoming game.
KL Rahul scored 35 runs off 31 deliveries, including four fours, and showed signs of his returning form. Deepak Hooda is batting in the number three place and has been unable to make the most of it. Krunal Pandya delivered an all-around performance in the last game and will be a key player going ahead. Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, and Krishnappa Gowtham have been given the role of finishers in the team. They will likely play a crucial role in the team when the situation comes.
Amit Mishra made his LSG debut in the previous game and returned with figures of two for 23. He will be a strategic pick for the team and might be used only in those games where the pitch will help the spinners. Yash Thakur, Avesh Khan, and Jaydev Unadkat have been a part of the pace attack so far. They have been average so far in the three games. Unadkat has bowled in two games and has failed to pick a wicket. Thakur made his IPL debut in the second game and has picked one wicket so far. Avesh has been the most successful bowler of this lot, with three wickets in two games at an average of 22.66.
LSG will need both Wood and Avesh back in the playing 11 for the next game to continue their winning streak. Ravi Bishnoi has played all three games for LSG and has enjoyed much success. He has taken a total of six wickets so far at an average of 12.5. Bishoni picked 13 wickets in 14 games last season at an average of 35.07.
Important Upcoming Encounters for LSG
Their home ground in Lucknow had a lot of spinners in the previous game, and they will look to capitalize on that in the next few games. Two of their next five games are in Lucknow only, and they will look to continue their winning run. LSG lost six games last season, including the eliminator. They lost two games each against the Gujarat Titans, Rajasthan Royals, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. LSG will play against these three teams next week and will look to register their first win against them.
Can LSG Win IPL 2023?
Lucknow Super Giants have a superb batting lineup containing some of the biggest names in T20 fun88. However, so far, their batting has revolved around a few players. Their pace attack looks very weak if Mark Wood is removed from the equation. They have a big problem lying ahead in the form of Quinton de Kock’s place in the playing 11. Even if De Kock replaces Marcus Stoinis in the team, his batting position will be another issue for them. If he opens the innings with Kyle Mayers, Rahul will have to shift to the middle order, where he won’t be effective at all, which will disturb the current batting flow. If Mayers is sent to the middle order, LSG might not simultaneously score runs in the powerplay. LSG have a frailed bowling lineup, and all the batters have been unable to fire properly. Plus, they have a massive issue to solve related to the selection. It will be interesting to see how they solve all these problems, but winning the trophy might be out of the picture for them this season as well.
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