Indian T20 League 2022: Match 53 – Lucknow vs Kolkata: Preview, Match Details, Pitch Conditions and Updates
Kolkata Knight Riders: (Image Source: BCCI/IPL)
Lucknow take on Kolkata in the 53rd match of the Indian T20 League 2022 on Saturday at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Lucknow are flying high in their debut season. In 10 matches, they have emerged victorious on 7 occasions and, thus, are sitting at number two on the points table.
On the other hand, Kolkata are languishing at the 7th position on the points table. Their chances of reaching the playoffs are hanging by a thread. Another defeat could end their hope of finishing in the top four.
Team News:
Lucknow:
Lucknow are coming into this game on the back of three consecutive wins. They would be brimming with confidence. Riding on sensational knocks from KL Rahul (77 off 51) and Deepak Hooda (52 off 34), Lucknow managed to notch a huge 195-run total in their last game against Delhi. Delhi fought hard with the bat but Lucknow restricted them to 189, thereby winning the game by 6 runs.
Players to watch out for:
- KL Rahul
KL Rahul has been in phenomenal form with the bat. He is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, only behind Jos Buttler. The Indian batter has 451 runs to his name in 10 matches at an average of 56.38.
- Deepak Hooda
Deepak Hooda has batted with a lot more responsibility this season. Hooda has improved by leaps and bounds, as far as his batting is concerned. The Indian batter scored a valuable fifty in the last game and would be looking to replicate a similar knock on Saturday.
- Mohsin Khan
The Lucknow pacer has impressed one and all since making his debut in the league. Khan has managed to pick 4 wickets for just 16 runs in 4 overs in the last game, helping the team register a win. In just 4 games, he has managed to pick 8 wickets at an average of 10.62.
Probable Playing XI:
KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jason Holder, Dushmantha Chameera, Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi
Kolkata:
After making an impressive start, Kolkata couldn’t maintain that form, and performances saw a dip. After suffering five defeats, they finally won a game in their last match against Rajasthan. A collective bowling effort helped them restrict Rajasthan to 152. Later, Kolkata chased down the score in 19.1 overs.
Players to watch out for:
- Nitish Rana
Nitish Rana’s recent form inspires a lot of confidence. He has looked solid in his last few games. Rana is coming into the game on the back of an unbeaten 48-run knock off 37 balls. The onus will be on him heading into the next game on Saturday.
- Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer is another Kolkata batter who will be the one to watch out for. Iyer came into the tournament with sensational form. However, he hasn’t lived up to the billing. He scored 34 runs in 32 balls in the last game but the team would expect a lot more from him.
- Rinku Singh
Given how Rinku Singh batted in the last match, he could become a great prospect for the franchise in the years to come. Singh played an unbeaten knock of 42 runs in just 23 balls, thereby taking the team home in 19.1 overs.
Probable Playing XI:
Aaron Finch, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer (c), Baba Indrajith (wk), Nitish Rana, Anukul Roy, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Pat Cummins, Umesh Yadav, Shivam Mavi
Match Details:
Indian T20 League 2022 Match 53, Lucknow vs Kolkata
Venue: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune
Date and Time: May 7, 7:30 PM
Live Streaming: Star Sports Network for Television and Disney + Hotstar app for live streaming
Pitch Report:
The 53rd match of the Indian T20 League is slated to be played at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The last game played here was between Bangalore and Chennai. The spinners got a lot of help from the surface.
The pitch was a bit on the slower side and there was a lot of turn. Expect, spinners to once again have a great outing on Saturday. Both teams should look to bowl first upon winning the toss.
