PBKS vs LSG Highlights IPL 2022: Bowlers shine as Lucknow Super Giants eat Punjab Kings by 20 runs

Rahul scored the first boundary in the game against Rabada, driven through covers before edging the fifth ball of the ball to the wicketkeeper. Rahul departed for 6 off 11. 

LSG 13/1 in 3 overs

The powerplay specialist conceded just two singles in his opening over. Superb start from the pacer. 

LSG 7/0 in 2 overs

Arshdeep look the shape the ball into Rahul, following the Trent Boult blueprint, but the latter managed to get his pad in the way to drift the ball down the leg side in the final ball of the over past the keeper for a boundary. 

LSG 5/0 in 1 over

Lucknow openers KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock make their way to the middle. Mayank shares some final words of wisdom in the team huddle. Arshdeep to open the attack for Punjab. 

“Looking forward to today's game. we have had five days between our last game, we are ready to go, no excuses today. We are just trying to figure out the right make-up of our team. It's a good sign for us because we are still winning, we are sitting at a solid position on the table and I don't think we are playing our best cricket. So, we are figuring a few things out and we're getting to the point again now, so hopefully we iron out a few of those things out.”

"We are going to bowl first. We'd like to know what total to chase. No changes to our line-up. There is very less dew here. The guys are quite flexible. It's going to be a terrific challenge."

“Quite balanced, we are going to look at this as another game, another opportunity for us to get two points. We all enjoy playing this tournament and every game is important. Regardless of which opposition we are playing, we try to enjoy our cricket, try and execute our plans. This is one game I wouldn't be wishing well for Mayank (*smiles*).”

“When dew is not around, it's quite an even game. It's important for us to start well, really assess the conditions in the first couple of overs, set-up a really solid base and then enjoy our batting and explode. I have played here before, we'll have to bat smartly. Manish misses out, Avesh Khan comes in. It's a high boundary-scoring ground, one extra bowler would give more options. It'll be a good opportunity for Jason to bat at seven. Ideally wouldn't want him to bat, but if he does, it's a good opportunity to show his batting skills.”

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Mayank Agarwal(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Rishi Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Sharma, Arshdeep Singh

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), KL Rahul(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Jason Holder, Dushmantha Chameera, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan

Punjab Kings captain Mayank Agarwal wins toss, opts to bowl against Lucknow Super Giants in Pune

“It was a difficult pitch (against CSK), but we played according to the wicket and it's good to see the winning result. (When dropped from the playing XI) I just kept on working on my practices because there's nothing much I could do. When Jonny returned to the side, it was obviously for the team balance. I just kept on training. I am just enjoying the game at the moment. They (LSG) have a very good combined XI, so we just want to go out there and have fun out there. 

“The uniqueness of this pitch for me is about the lengths. Not so much fuller, it's about bowling length and it's about bowling bouncers and getting people out with the short ones. You can see why the players want to bowl short, because of this beautiful, even covering of grass. Guys with pace and energy love it here. 29 wickets to the short ones and 20 off length, suggests enough little bit of extra bounce here in Pune.”

Speaking to Star Sports ahead of the game, Harbhajan Singh feels LSG have it in them to go all the way to the playoffs given KL Rahul's form while Piyush Chawla feels that while Mayank needs to step up as a batter, the team looks balanced in this season.

"Lucknow Super Giants have been playing really well. KL Rahul got another hundred. He's incredibly good. He's so consistent. For a top-order batsman to be as consistent as he has been.. I think he has lasted four or five years right at the top. t is really difficult in T20 cricket to be so consistent. He's got such a great recipe for what he does. It seems really low-risk batting but he is scoring big runs, at a strike rate of 140, which is just freakish." - on The Grade Cricketer podcast.

The left-arm pacer's ice-cool approach in the death overs have left many veteran cricketers impressed including Ian Bishop, Daniel Vettori and former India head coach Ravi Shastri who have all backed him for a place in India's T20 World Cup squad.  

It worked perfectly well for the team against Chennai in the last game and hence Mayank will stick to the same XI. 

The only likely one is the return of Avesh Khan who had missed the Mumbai Indians game owing to a "small niggle". If he returns, Mohsin Khan will have to sit out.

The uncapped left-arm pacer, who was retained by PBKS, has managed only three wickets at eight runs per over in eight innings, but the 23-year-old has won all the praises from veteran cricketers owing to his death-over heroics in IPL 2022. In nine overs during the phase, he has conceded at just 7.33 for a wicket. He has been the most economical pacer in the death ov er (min 30 balls) this season and fourth overall after Narine, Rashid, and Chahal.

Pacers have picked 62 wickets in 14 innings this season at 25.08 with an economy rate of 8.30. Spinners, on the other hand, have picked 20 wickets at 34.80 with an economy rate of 8.04.

In seven games at the venue, teams batting first have won four games and lost three with an average first innings score of 172.

Rahul Chahar has dismissed him once for 36 runs in 35 balls while Kagiso Rabada has managed to concede 23 runs against him in 21 balls for a wicket.

He is presently the second highest run getter in IPL 2022 with 368 runs in eight innings at 61.33 and at a strike rate of 147.79 with two centuries and a fifty.