Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) endured a sluggish start, reaching just 35/1 at the end of the powerplay against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), while skipper Rishabh Pant was forced to retire hurt after sustaining an elbow injury.
LSG lost an early wicket when Aiden Markram was dismissed by Rasikh Dar. The South African batter managed 12 runs off 8 balls before being caught, leaving the hosts under pressure in the early overs.
In a significant blow, captain Rishabh Pant had to retire hurt after being struck on the elbow by a delivery from Josh Hazlewood. Pant, who was yet to open his account, walked off the field in visible discomfort, casting doubt over his participation for the remainder of the match.
Josh Hazlewood emerged as the standout performer with the ball for RCB, conceding just six runs in his two overs during the powerplay. The Australian pacer returned to the playing XI after missing the previous match against the Mumbai Indians and made an immediate impact.
Earlier, RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to bowl first, citing favourable pitch conditions for chasing.
“We’re going to bowl first. It’s pretty obvious. I see a pretty good surface. So, we want to take advantage early and keep the pressure on. The previous game had a lot of grass, but this wicket looks better with no grass, so it should be a good track. Everyone has been contributing well, stepping up at different stages. That’s what defines our team. Just one change — Josh Hazlewood comes in place of Duffy,” Patidar said.
Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar
