April 2, 2025
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Lucknow Super Giants

KL Rahul says 'poor performance overall' after succumbing to heavy defeat against KKR | Cricket News

KL Rahul says ‘poor performance overall’ after succumbing to heavy defeat against KKR | Cricket News

Danijones03 mins

NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants bowlers first leaked 235 in a historic first at the Ekana Stadium and batters then had a disappointing run, collapsing under the scoreboard pressure as KL Rahul and Co. succumbed to a heavy 98-run defeat at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday.Smashing the LSG bowlers left, right and centre, Sunil Narine hit a sparkling 81 which was followed by a collective effort by the bowlers as KKR restricted the hosts to 137 all out and moved to the top of the table.Skipper Rahul after the embarrassing defeat blamed an overall poor performance for the horror show in their final home game of the season.“Lot of runs. Poor performance overall. It was a big total. Like I said, It’s a poor performance with both bat and ball. Narine in powerplay puts a lot of pressure. Our bowlers couldn’t handle the pressure,” Rahul said at the post-match presentation.While the Ekana surface produced its first ever 200-plus T20 score, Rahul did not blame the pitch and conditions and said it stayed true throughout the game.“Wicket is very good. There is a bit of bounce if you bowl hard length. It wasn’t a bad pitch. 235 was 20-30 runs were above par. Our batting was poor,” Rahul added.With their fifth defeat of the season in 11 games, Lucknow were pushed to the fifth spot on the points table but Rahul said that team will look to bounce back quickly and will look to make it three out of three going ahead and finish inside top four.“Once we go back to dressing room, we move on from this game and see where we went wrong. Last home game, we are on the road for the next few games, we need to be little bit more fearless,” Rahul said.The win, on the other hand, brought KKR closer to the playoffs.Shreyas Iyer and Co. now have 8 wins in 11 matches.

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IPL 2024 Points Table: Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings Take Massive Steps Towards Playoffs

IPL 2024 Points Table: Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings Take Massive Steps Towards Playoffs

Danijones05 mins

Kolkata Knight Riders grabbed the top spot in the IPL 2024 points table with a huge 98-run win over Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday. The victory took the Shreyas Iyer-led side to 16 points and they are one win away from booking their playoff berth. Lucknow Super Giants went down to the fifth spot with 12 points – the same as Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad – but an inferior Net Run Rate (NRR). In the other match of the day, Chennai Super Kings remained third with a win over Punjab Kings that took them to 12 points. PBKS are eighth with 8 points from 11 matches. Sunil Narine’s sparkling fifty and a collective effort by the bowlers fashioned Kolkata Knight Riders’ 98-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2024 on Sunday. Deciding to bowl first didn’t go as per plan for LSG as KKR became the first team to cross the 200-run mark at the Ekana stadium. Proving his worth with the willow once again, Narine (81 off 38 balls) went on a six-hitting spree, blasting seven maximums and six fours to take the visitors to 235/6. Chasing an imposing total, LSG batters had to go from the word go but the hosts found it hard to get the big shots and were eventually bundled out for 137 in 16.1 overs. Within the first 10 overs, LSG had lost half the side including skipper KL Rahul (25), Arshin Kulkarni (9), Deepak Hooda (5) and big hitters Marcus Stoinis (36) and Nicholas Pooran (10). Ashton Turner hit some lusty blows and looked in mood to showcase his batting prowess but the Australian was supremely unlucky as an inside edge deflected off his boot with Varun Chakravarthy completing a caught and bowled. With the win KKR moved to the top of the table. They have 16 points, the same as Rajasthan Royals but have played one game more. LSG, on the other hand, dropped out of the top four to the fifth spot with 12 points from 11 games. Their Net Run Rate also took a massive hit going down from 0.094 to -0.371. Ravindra Jadeja produced an all-round effort to help Chennai Super Kings beat Punjab Kings by 28 runs. Sent into bat, Jadeja made 43 runs off 26 balls and then picked up 3 for 20 to ensure a win for CSK. Chasing a modest 168, PBKS faltered from the word go with only Prabhsimran Singh (30) and Shashank Singh (27) making significant contributions with the bat before being restricted to 139 for 9 in 20 overs. Besides Jadeja, Simarjeet Singh (2/16) and Tushar Deshpande (2/35) picked up two wickets each for CSK. Earlier, leg-spinner Rahul Chahar and pacer Harshal Patel picked up three wickets apiece as PBKS dished out a disciplined bowling effort to restrict CSK to 167 for nine. Jadeja, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Daryl Mitchell (30) got starts for CSK but failed to transform their knocks into big scores. Chahar (3/23) and Harshal (4/24) stood out with the ball for PBKS, while stand-in captain Sam Curran (1/34) and Arshdeep Singh (2/42) also registered their names in the wicket-takers list.

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LSG vs KKR, IPL 2024: Sunil Narine Shines In Kolkata Knight Riders' 98-Run Drubbing Of Lucknow Super Giants

LSG vs KKR, IPL 2024: Sunil Narine Shines In Kolkata Knight Riders’ 98-Run Drubbing Of Lucknow Super Giants

Danijones05 mins

Sunil Narine’s sparkling fifty and a collective effort by the bowlers fashioned Kolkata Knight Riders’ 98-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL at Ekana Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Deciding to bowl first didn’t go as per plan for LSG as KKR became the first team to cross the 200-run mark at the Ekana stadium. Proving his worth with the willow once again, Narine (81 off 38 balls) went on a six-hitting spree, blasting seven maximums and six fours to take the visitors to 235/6. Chasing an imposing total, LSG batters had to go from the word go but the hosts found it hard to get the big shots and were eventually bundled out for 137 in 16.1 overs. Within the first 10 overs, LSG had lost half the side including skipper KL Rahul (25), Arshin Kulkarni (9), Deepak Hooda (5) and big hitters Marcus Stoinis (36) and Nicholas Pooran (10). Ashton Turner hit some lusty blows and looked in mood to showcase his batting prowess but the Australian was supremely unlucky as an inside edge deflected off his boot with Varun Chakravarthy completing a caught and bowled. With the win KKR moved to the top of the table. They have 16 points, the same as Rajasthan Royals but have played one game more. LSG, on the other hand, dropped out of the top four to the fifth spot with 12 points from 11 games. Their Net Run Rate also took a massive hit going down from 0.094 to -0.371. Earlier, the in-form Narine, who was dropped twice in the space of two balls, smoked five boundaries in five balls, setting the tone for the KKR innings. First, he hammered back-to-back fours off Naveen-ul-Haq in the last two balls of the third over. He then attacked the offside, hitting three boundaries on the trot off Mohsin Khan in the fourth over. Narine and Phil Salt (32) gave the two-time champions the explosive start they have come to expect from the duo. Together they put up a quick 61-run stand before Naveen-ul Haq took the pace off the ball to send the Englishman packing. Medium pacer Yash Thakur then stemmed the flow of runs in the final over of the powerplay, giving away only two runs as KKR reached 70/1. However, the unperturbed Narine continued his onslaught and brought up his fifty off 27 deliveries with a cheeky late dab that sent the ball rolling past short third. He took a particular liking to Marcus Stoinis, sending the ball over the fence three times in the 11th over. But Ravi Bishnoi, on whose bowling Narine was dropped twice before, was third time lucky as he put an end to the all-rounder’s spectacular innings. The LSG bowlers were able to rein in the KKR batters as they kept taking wickets. Naveen-ul Haq got rid of Andre Russell (12) before Yudhvir Singh, who came as a concussion sub for Mohsin Khan, picked up young Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s (32) wicket in the next over. The Afghan pacer swung back into action to account for the big-hitting Rinku Singh (16) while Thakur removed Shreyas Iyer (23). But Ramandeep Singh’s unbeaten 25 off 6 balls took KKR past the 230-run mark. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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Ball boy over the moon as Jonty Rhodes applauds his stunning catch behind the fence. Watch | Cricket News

Ball boy over the moon as Jonty Rhodes applauds his stunning catch behind the fence. Watch | Cricket News

Danijones02 mins

NEW DELHI: In a delightful and heartwarming incident, a ball boy got the applause from none other than fielding great Jonty Rhodes during the IPL clash between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Ekana on Sunday.As the ball boy took a superb catch behind the third-man fence, Rhodes alongside the on-air commentators was quick to praise the special effort from the young talent.The incident took place in the third over of Lucknow’s chase when Marcus Stoinis executed an upper-cut off Vaibhav Arora to perfection. As there was no KKR fielder at the fence, the ball boy, who was sitting on the sidelines, instantly got up and moved towards the ball. He then superbly judged the ball, got under it and completed the catch effortlessly.Soon after completing a fine catch, the boy found an admirer in Rhodes as he lauded the catch from the dug-out.On seeing himself at the giant screen and Rhodes applause following him, the boy was over the moon, in a moment of a lifetime incident. Earlier, Sunil Narine continued his explosive run this season with a blistering 81 off 38 balls, propelling KKR to 235 for six against the hosts.Proving his worth with the willow once again, the West Indian went on a six-hitting spree, blasting seven maximums and six fours.The in-form Narine, who was dropped twice in the space of two balls, smoked five boundaries in five balls, setting the tone for the KKR innings.

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WATCH: Super RaMan! Ramandeep Singh pulls off a stunner; Mitchell Starc, Andre Russell's reactions are priceless | Cricket News

WATCH: Super RaMan! Ramandeep Singh pulls off a stunner; Mitchell Starc, Andre Russell’s reactions are priceless | Cricket News

Danijones01 mins

NEW DELHI: Is this a superman? Is it a bird? No, it’s Ramandeep Singh. Kolkata Knight Riders’ Ramandeep displayed remarkable athleticism by pulling off a breathtaking diving catch during Sunday’s game against Lucknow Super Giants.KKR speedster Mitchell Starc delivered a length ball to LSG opener Arshin Kulkarni, who attempted a flick but got a leading edge, sending the ball soaring over backward point.Ramandeep, fully alert, sprinted a considerable distance, kept his eyes on the ball, executed a perfectly timed dive, and caught the stunner, sending Kulkarni packing.WATCH: Sunil Narine continued his explosive run in the IPL with an 81 off 38 balls, propelling Kolkata Knight Riders to 235 for six against hosts Lucknow Super Giants.Proving his worth with the willow once again, the West Indian went on a six-hitting spree, blasting seven maximums and six fours.

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IPL-17: LSG vs KKR | Narine’s blitzkrieg powers Knight Riders to 235 against Super Giants

IPL-17: LSG vs KKR | Narine’s blitzkrieg powers Knight Riders to 235 against Super Giants

Danijones05 mins

Kolkata Knight Riders opener Sunil Narine plays a shot during the Indian Premier League 2024 match against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on May 5, 2024. | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena Sunil Narine continued his Midas touch with the bat in IPL 2024 as his blistering 39-ball 81 powered Kolkata Knight Riders to 235 for six against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on May 5. It all started with Narine putting on a quickfire 61-run opening stand with Phil Salt after K.L. Rahul elected to field. Narine started sedately as Salt peppered LSG’s new-ball bowlers with a flurry of boundaries from the other end. But soon enough, the West Indian batter opened up as he thumped Mohsin Khan for three fours and a six in the fourth over of the game. The KKR opening duo raced to its sixth fifty-plus partnership before Salt was caught behind off a slower one from Naveen-ul-Haq, much to the relief of a packed crowd. Angkrish Raghuvanshi too joined in on the fun, with the KKR No. 3 crunching some crisp drives on the off side. Only Yash Thakur managed to get in a boundary-less over in PowerPlay as the visitor piled on 70 runs in the opening phase. The end of fielding restrictions did nothing to deter Narine as he took on the LSG spinners. When Krunal Pandya pitched it up, the ball was whacked over mid-wicket for an 86-metre six. The left-handed batter got to his fifty with a delicate late-cut four against leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. The 35-year-old was brutal when LSG pacers pitched it up as he launched them over the fence with a cleared front foot. Marcus Stoinis was at the receiving end of three such maximums as the West Indian pressed on. Narine’s whirlwind knock ended on 81 after he mistimed a quicker one from Bishnoi to a relieved Devdutt Padikkal – who had touched the boundary line, a few deliveries earlier, with the ball in his hand after a similar mishit. Narine’s dismissal revitalised LSG as the home bowlers, aided by some good fielding, reigned in KKR’s run-rate. But a six-ball 25 from Ramandeep Singh in the death ensured that KKR finished on a high as it breached the 220-run mark for the fifth time this season. Scoreboard Kolkata Knight Riders: Phil Salt c Rahul b Naveen-ul-Haq 32 Sunil Narine c sub b Ravi Bishnoi 81 Angkrish Raghuvanshi c Rahul b Yudhvir Singh 32 Andre Russell c sub b Naveen-ul-Haq 12 Rinku Singh c Stoinis b Naveen-ul-Haq 16 Shreyas Iyer c Rahul b Yash Thakur 23 Ramandeep Singh not out 25 Venkatesh Iyer not out 1 Extras: (W-13) 13 Total: (For 6 wickets in 20 overs) 235 Fall of wickets: 1/61 2/140 3/167 4/171 5/200 6/224 Lucknow Super Giants bowling: Marcus Stoinis 2-0-29-0, Mohsin Khan 2-0-28-0, Naveen-ul-Haq 4-0-49-3, Yash Thakur 4-0-46-1, Krunal Pandya 2-0-26-0, Ravi Bishnoi 4-0-33-1, Yudhvir Singh 2-0-24-1.

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LSG vs KKR LIVE Score, IPL 2024: Sunil Narine-Phil Salt Script History, One-Down KKR In Control vs LSG

LSG vs KKR LIVE Score, IPL 2024: Sunil Narine-Phil Salt Script History, One-Down KKR In Control vs LSG

Danijones01 mins

LSG vs KKR Live: Squads – Lucknow Super Giants: Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul (c & wk), Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Shamar Joseph, Yash Thakur, Manimaran Siddharth, Prerak Mankad, Arshad Khan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Amit Mishra, Kyle Mayers, Ashton Turner, Matt Henry, Naveen-ul-Haq, Devdutt Padikkal, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Mayank Yadav, Arshin Kulkarni. Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer (c), KS Bharat (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Sakib Hussain, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Gus Atkinson, Allah Ghazanfar, Phil Salt.

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Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2024: Match Preview, Fantasy Picks, Pitch And Weather Reports

Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2024: Match Preview, Fantasy Picks, Pitch And Weather Reports

Danijones09 mins

Match 54 of the Indian Premier League, 2024, will be played between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders (LSG vs KKR) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, on Sunday. Lucknow Super Giants have played 10 matches and are ranked third on the points table with 12 points. Kolkata Knight Riders have also played 10 matches and are ranked second on the points table with 14 points. Pitch Report and Weather Conditions The pitch at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, will allow for good stroke play and the batters will find it easy to bat on the surface. The surface will not allow a lot of assistance to the bowlers and wicket-taking is going to be difficult. The average first-innings score at this venue in the last 20 matches is 139 runs. The pitch is a sporting one with decent assistance for both batters and bowlers on offer. Depending on the ground conditions, the team winning the toss may decide to bat or bowl. Pace or Spin? The venue is suited for both pacers and spinners alike. Weather Report The temperature will hover around 37 degree C and humidity is expected to be around 10%. Winds at a speed of 4.68 m/s are expected. Head-to-Head In the four matches played between these two teams, Kolkata Knight Riders do not have a good record against Lucknow Super Giants. Based on our analysis and trends, we predict that Lucknow Super Giants will win this match. Kolkata Knight Riders’ batters have earned the most fantasy points for their team, while the wicket-keepers have earned the most fantasy points for Lucknow Super Giants. In their previous encounter in this series, Phil Salt was the Man of the Match while Nicholas Pooran scored the highest fantasy points for Lucknow Super Giants with 65 fantasy points. Phil Salt topped the fantasy points leaderboard for Kolkata Knight Riders with 143 fantasy points. Fantasy Top Captain and Vice-Captain Picks Sunil Narine Sunil Narine is an all-rounder with an average of 101 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 9.6 and is a differential player for your Fantasy Team. He is a top-order, left-handed batter. In the last 10 matches, he has scored 380 runs at an average of 38 per match. Narine is also a handy bowler, bowling off-break and in recent matches, he has taken 13 wickets, averaging 20.7 per match. KL Rahul KL Rahul is a wicket-keeper with an average of 68 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 9.5 and is a good-to-have player for your Fantasy Team. He is a top-order, right-handed batter and also keeps wickets. In the recent 10 matches, he has scored 406 runs at an average of 40.1 per match. Philip Salt Phil Salt is a wicket-keeper with an average of 68 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 8.9 and can be a good pick for your Dream11 Team. Salt is a top-order, right-handed batter and also keeps wickets. In the last 10 matches, he has scored 397 runs averaging 44.1 per match. Andre Russell Andre Russell can be a good safe pick for your Dream11 Team. He has an average of 58 fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 8.7. He is a right-handed batter. In the recent 10 matches, he has scored 186 runs at an average of 37.2 per match. Russell can also give you some bowling fantasy points, bowling right-arm fast and in recent matches, he has taken 11 wickets at an average of 19.1 per match. Marcus Stoinis Marcus Stoinis is an all-rounder with an average of 58 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 9.6 and is a good-to-have player for your Fantasy Team. Stoinis is a top-order, right-handed batter. In the last 10 matches, he has scored 316 runs at an average of 39.5 per match. He is also a handy bowler, bowling right-arm medium and in recent matches, he has taken four wickets, averaging 24.3 per match. Mohsin Khan Mohsin Khan is a bowler with an average of 46 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 7.6 and can be a good pick for your Dream11 Team. He is a left-arm medium-fast bowler and in the recently played seven matches, he has taken nine wickets at an average of 31.4. Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer is a batter with an average of 45 fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 8.6 and is a very consistent player in terms of fantasy points. He is a top-order, right-handed batter. In the last 10 matches, Iyer has scored 257 runs averaging 36.7 per match. Mayank Yadav Mayank Yadav is a fairly consistent player in terms of fantasy points. He has an average of 43 fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 8. He is a right-arm, medium-fast bowler and in the recently played four matches, Yadav has taken seven wickets at an average of 12.1. Mitchell Starc Mitchell Starc can be a punt pick for your Dream11 Team. He has an average of 37 fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 7.7. He bowls left-arm fast and has taken 11 wickets at an average of 33 in the last nine matches. Fantasy Team Wicket-Keepers: KL Rahul and Phil Salt Batters: Shreyas Iyer, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran and Rinku Singh All-Rounders: Marcus Stoinis, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine Bowlers: Varun Chakravarthy, Yash Thakur and Mohsin Khan Captain: Sunil Narine Vice-Captain: Marcus Stoinis Topics mentioned in this article

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Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders Today Match Prediction & Live Odds - IPL 2024

Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders Today Match Prediction & Live Odds – IPL 2024

Vann Hiso06 mins

Get to Know Who will win Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2024 Match and toss Prediction with Head to Head stats, Playing 11, CBTFJSK Tips, Live score & winning percentage. 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 : Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 : May 05, 2024𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 : 19:30 IST / 14:00 GMT𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 :Ekana Cricket Stadium – Lucknow, India𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 : IPL 2024 Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders Betting Tips KL Rahul has scored over 400 runs in this tournament and the skipper is our pick for Lucknow Super Giants’ highest run scorer in this game. Yash Thakur has taken ten wickets in the 2024 IPL and the pace bowler is well worth backing as Lucknow Super Giants’ top wicket taker against KKR.Phil Salt is averaging 44.11 in this competition and the English opener is our tip for KKR’s highest run scorer against Lucknow Super Giants. Mitchell Starc has endured a tough campaign but took 4/33 on Friday and the Australian is a strong choice for KKR’s top wicket taker in this match.With his confidence likely to be sky-high ahead of this game, we recommend selecting Mitchell Starc to take over 1.5 wickets in this fixture. Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website. Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders T20 Match Prediction & Betting Tips, IPL 2024 Lucknow Super Giants take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Match 54 of the 2024 Indian Premier League on Sunday evening. Lucknow have won six games this season and begin this fixture just two points behind KKR who occupy second place. Read on as we preview this match. The game gets underway at 19:30 local time at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium on May 5th. After losing to Rajasthan Royals in Match 44, Lucknow Super Giants got back to winning ways against Mumbai Indians in their last match and they come into this game in strong form. However, they are up against one of the best sides in this IPL so far. Kolkata Knight Riders won a rollercoaster of a contest in their last game which saw them deep in trouble on 57/5 before recovering to post 169 and then winning the match. They will need to be stronger with the bat in this match but their bowlers were brilliant in Friday’s victory. Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders Match Toss PredictionThis will be the 14th IPL match to be played at this venue and so far teams batting first have won six as have teams fielding first. With the temperature expected to drop by five degrees from the first innings to the second innings, we predict that both captains will want to bat first. Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders Pitch ReportThe surface in Lucknow is often a little bit two-paced which means that high scores are the exception. The last game saw 289 runs in total and we expect a first innings par total to be no higher than 160-165. Lucknow Weather ReportIt will be very hot at the beginning of this game with the temperature likely to be up in the high thirties. And by the end of the match, the forecast is for the temperature to be no lower than 33. Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds, and match prediction for Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Indian Premier League 2024

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IPL 2024: Guarded Lucknow Super Giants look to subdue dominant Kolkata Knight Riders | Cricket News

IPL 2024: Guarded Lucknow Super Giants look to subdue dominant Kolkata Knight Riders | Cricket News

Danijones04 mins

Coach Langer confirms Mayank unlikely to play in rest of seasonLUCKNOW: Playing their last match on home turf, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will have to give it their best shot to edge past Kolkata Knight Riders at the Ekana cricket stadium on Sunday. KKR are a step away from a berth in the Playoffs with 14 spots.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLEIn their previous match against Mumbai Indians, LSG were far from convincing as they had to toil hard to chase the modest 145-run target.On the batting side, LSG skipper KL Rahul is in form up the order and has played some fine knocks, smashing fifties against Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings.Allrounder Marcus Stoinis also played well against MI, scoring 62 runs, and had also played a spectacular match-winning innings against CSK. Deepak Hooda has also played some decent knocks. Wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran has not been able to make his mark in the last 2-3 matches and it is time for him to put his best foot forward. Top-order batter Quinton de Kock missed the last match against MI and he was back early to the pavilion against Rajasthan Royals. On the bowling side, LSG’s bowlers will also face a harsh test with none of them making a real dent with individual brilliance. In the last match, Mohsin Khan, Marcus Stoinis, Naveen-ul-Haq and Mayank Yadav did well against MI. LSG will now have to go without pace sensation Mayank, who had walked out of the last match against MI due to his side strain acting up.Mayank is unlikely to play in the remainder of the IPL. LSG head coach Justin Langer said, “We’ll be praying that he can play hopefully in the play-offs but I am a realist as well. It will probably be difficult for him to get up for the back end of the tournament. He’s (Mayank) had a scan. He’s got a small tear in a similar area to where his last one (injury) was. So, it’s very unfortunate. We saw the impact he had when he came back into the game.” As for KKR, their bowlers were in excellent form against MI on Friday. All the bowlers, especially spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine.

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