PBKS Vs LKN Preview: KL Rahul returns to old den with point to prove

PBKS Vs LKN Preview: Punjab Kings defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 2 runs in their first meet of the season.

The IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali is set to host Match No. 38 of the Indian Premier League 2023, featuring a clash between the Punjab Kings and the Lucknow Super Giants.

PBKS have secured a win in their previous match and now holds 4 victories out of 7 matches played so far. In their last game, they defeated MI by a margin of 13 runs. The upcoming match against LKN will be an opportunity for PBKS to continue their winning streak and maintain their momentum as they have already beaten LKN once this season.

LKN suffered a defeat in their previous match and have won 4 out of their 7 matches so far. They lost their last game against GT by a margin of 7 runs. In the upcoming match against PBKS, LKN will be aiming to return to their winning ways.

Earlier this season, PBKS defeated LKN by 2 wickets thanks to a brilliant knock of 57 by Sikandar Raza and a 10-ball 23* cameo by Shahrukh Khan. PBKS's bowlers, led by Sam Curran (3/31), restricted LKN to 159/8. Chasing 160, PBKS stuttered early but Raza and Shahrukh guided them to victory in the end.

PBKS Vs LKN: Pitch Report

The pitch will be favorable for batsmen, with the ball arriving smoothly and providing them an opportunity to play their shots with force and score runs with ease.

PBKS Vs LKN: Team News

There are still some doubts regarding the fitness of PBKS captain Shikhar Dhawan. It is possible that he may be rested for another match, and the team may opt to play the same side that won against MI in their upcoming match against LKN.

LKN lost their previous match against GT, and their top order has been struggling with a slow strike rate in recent games. As a result, they may be considering making some changes to their side for the upcoming match against PBKS. This could mean that Quinton De Kock gets a chance to play replacing Kyle Mayers, and make an impact in the game.

PBKS Vs LKN: Head to Head

Matches – 2

Punjab Kings – 1

Lucknow Super Giants – 1

PBKS Vs LKN: Players to Watch

Punjab Kings: Sam Curran

In the absence of PBKS captain Shikhar Dhawan, Sam Curran has been performing well as the team's leader. He played a crucial role in the previous match against MI, scoring 55 runs off just 29 balls and helping the team achieve a total of 214 runs. As the team prepares for their upcoming match against LKN, Curran will be looking to maintain his excellent form with both bat and ball and lead the team to another victory.

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul

KL Rahul's struggles with his performance this season have been a cause for concern. In 7 matches, he has scored only 262 runs at a strike rate of 113.91, which has raised doubts about his abilities. However, with an upcoming match against PBKS, and being the captain of LKN, Rahul has an opportunity to take the reins and lead by example for his team. Despite his recent slump, he has the potential to deliver a significant impact and improve his performance. His team will be depending on him to step up and perform to the best of his abilities.

PBKS Vs LKN: Probable Playing XIs

Punjab Kings Predicted Playing XI:

Atharva Taide, Prabhsimran Singh, Matthew Short, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

Lucknow Super Giants Predicted Playing XI:

KL Rahul (c), Quinton De Kock, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Ayush Badoni, Naveen-ul-Haq, Amit Mishra, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi

PBKS Vs LKN: Match Facts

Ravi Bishnoi needs only 5 more wickets to reach 50 wickets in IPL.

Sam Curran requires 21 runs to reach 500 runs in IPL.

Lucknow and Punjab have played against each other twice in the IPL, resulting in 1 win for Lucknow and 1 win for Punjab.

PBKS Vs LKN: Live Broadcasting

IND: Star Sports Network (TV) | JioCinema (Live Streaming)

UK: DAZN, Sky Sports

AUS: Fox Sports, Kayo Sports