IPL 2024: LSG Aim To Continue Winning Streak With Match vs DC

Time for the action to begin. The Delhi players are in the huddle before they disperse away. Similar setting for Lucknow - KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock to open for them. Khaleel Ahmed to bowl first. Green grass on the surface so expect some swing early on. Let's go...

Rishabh Pant, the captain of Delhi says that they would have batted first as well. Adds that they are still trying to find out their best XI as some of the players have got injured. Informs they have made a couple of changes as Mukesh Kumar and Kuldeep Yadav comes back in the team.

KL Rahul, the skipper of Lucknow says they will bat first. Adds they want to start fresh, it's a new surface and will stay true throughout without dew making much impact. Shares the conditions favour the bowling side and their bowlers have enjoyed here till now. Reckons the crowd has been amazing and has been supportive throughout. Informs they have made one change. Arshad Khan replaced the injured Mayank Yadav.

Impact Players for Delhi - Jhye Richardson, Abishek Porel, Kumar Kushagra, Sumit Kumar, Pravin Dubey.

Delhi (Playing XI) - Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed.

Impact Players for Lucknow - Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, M. Siddharth, Amit Mishra, Matt Henry.

Lucknow (Playing XI) - KL Rahul (C/WK), Quinton de Kock, Devdutt Padikkal, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Arshad Khan (In place of Mayank Yadav), Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yash Thakur.

TOSS - Lucknow have won the toss and elected to BAT first.

PITCH REPORT - Graeme Swann is pitchside. He says one side of the ground is around 75 meters while the other is close to 63 meters. Sunil Gavaskar joins him and says this ground has one of the longest boundaries. Mentions that there is a lot of grass on this pitch and the spinners won't like much as the ball will come on nicely onto the bat. Shares a lot of runs could be scored on this pitch.

Delhi, on the other hand, are going through a rough patch as they have won just one game so far in this season. Their bowling has been very leaky conceding north of 200 in the last couple of matches. They will need a lot more from ace pacer Anrich Nortje with the others also needing to step up. Their batting is not that much of a concern as they have a few destructive players like Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, and Tristan Stubbs who are having a good season. Rishabh Pant has also made a fine comeback to the game and has found his rhythm while young Indian batters have also contributed well. With the injury to Marsh, there is a chance that we can see the young explosive Aussie, Jake Fraser-McGurk in the mix. However, they will need to play as a unit and do well in all three departments to get the win here. Stay tuned for toss and other updates.

Lucknow have been in fine form winning the last three games and all by defending targets which shows their formidable bowling attack. The big thing for them is that it is the Indian fast bowlers who have stepped up with Mayank Yadav making an impact with his express pace in the first couple of games while it was Yash Thakur's stunning fifer, highlight of the last game. They have an explosive batting line-up as well with the likes of Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran, and Marcus Stoinis and all of them are in good touch. They will not look to change much and replicate their performance to get their fourth win in the trot.

Hello and a warm welcome folks! The Indian T20 League is certainly living up to its expectations as we have seen some of best nail-biting encounters. The focus now shifts to the clash between two exciting teams, Lucknow and Delhi with the former trying to extend their winning run while the latter hoping to get back to winning ways.

... MATCH DAY ...

The Indian T20 League 2024 is in full swing, and we're gearing up for another exciting match as Lucknow takes on Delhi at the picturesque Ekana Cricket Stadium. Lucknow comes into the game riding high on confidence after a convincing win, powered by Yash Thakur's brilliant five-wicket haul. Their recent form has been impressive, securing three consecutive wins while defending targets, showcasing their bowling strength. However, the absence of Mayank Yadav is a concern as he took the league by storm with his express pace, but they have capable replacements. With Naveen-ul-Haq in excellent form and Mohsin Khan possibly returning, their bowling attack looks formidable along with two very economical spin options in Krunal Pandya and Ravi Bishnoi. Their batting lineup boasts firepower with Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran, and Marcus Stoinis all in good touch. Lucknow appears well-balanced and aims to extend their winning streak to four matches. On the flip side, Delhi has struggled, managing just one win in five games. Their bowling has been leaky, conceding over 220 runs in their last two outings. While Anrich Nortje has been taking wickets, he's been expensive, and the absence of Marsh due to injury further weakens their team. Axar Patel has been economical, but Delhi needs more from their bowlers with Ishant Sharma and Khaleel Ahmed doing well with the new ball but not at the death. In contrast, their batting lineup, featuring aggressive openers like David Warner and Prithvi Shaw, along with Abishek Porel, Rishabh Pant, and Tristan Stubbs, possesses immense firepower. However, for Delhi to turn their fortunes around, their bowlers need to step up. Will Delhi halt Lucknow's winning streak, or will Lucknow continue their dominance?