LSG Faces Major Test as RCB’s Fierce Bowler Returns for Playoff Push

Lucknow: The last match of the league stage of this season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played today. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), which has already secured a place in the playoffs, will clash with the host Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Both teams will be on the ground with different goals. While the Lucknow team would like to end the season with a win in front of their fans on home ground, the Challengers' target will be to make it to the top-2. The Lucknow team had spoiled the game of Gujarat Titans in the last match and won by scoring a huge score on their own ground.

Josh Hazlewood returns to Bangalore camp

Good news for Bangalore that its Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has joined the team. This season he is the team's top scorer (18 wickets in 10 matches). The team had won four consecutive matches before the league break, but after that one match was canceled due to rain and then lost against Hyderabad. Challengers will have to bring back their old rhythm in this match. Big innings will be expected from Virat Kohli, captain Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Tim David. Young bowlers like Yash Dayal and Suyash Sharma will also have to perform responsibly.

Opportunity for captains too

The playoff race is over for the Lucknow team. In the last match of the season, its captain Rishabh Pant will have a chance to play without pressure. Pant has scored only 151 runs in 13 matches. Now he would like to bid farewell to the season by scoring a big score himself and with the victory of the team. On the other hand, Bangalore captain Rajat Patidar has scored 257 runs in 12 matches in the current season at a strike rate of 138.17. His last half-century came eight matches ago, while he has not been able to cross the 20 mark in the last five innings. He would also like to perform in this important match and take the team to the top.

LSG vs RCB Head to Head

Total Matches 5

RCB Won 3

LSG Won 2

LSG vs RCB Probable Playing XI

LSG: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Will O'Rourke

Impact Player: Akash Singh

RCB: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood

Impact Player: Suyash Sharma