3 player battles to watch out for in KKR vs LSG, Match 68 of IPL 2023

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will lock horns with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 68th match of IPL 2023 at the Eden Gardens on Saturday, May 20.

LSG will be riding high on confidence after a thrilling win in the last game against the Mumbai Indians (MI). Mohsin Khan bowled an excellent last over to defend 11 runs and help his side earn two crucial points.

Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran have peaked at the right time, which will give the team a massive boost ahead of the playoffs.

KKR, meanwhile, stunned the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their last fixture at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. They successfully chased down 145 runs, riding on half-centuries from Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh.

With both teams eyeing a win, an exciting contest is on the cards in Kolkata. The game will also witness a couple of matchups and player battles.

On that note, let's take a look at three player battles to watch out for in the KKR vs LSG contest.

---

#1 Andre Russell vs LSG spinners

KKR all-rounder Andre Russell hasn't had the best of seasons in this year's cash-rich league, especially spinners. The West Indian has managed to score only 59 runs from 52 balls at a strike rate of 113 while being dismissed four times.

With the Eden Gardens wicket helping spinners, Russell might be in some trouble on Saturday night. Add to that, LSG might have as many as four spinners - Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Amit Mishra, and Swapnil Singh on their side.

Russell will look to prove his naysayers wrong with a destructive knock and end the tournament on a positive note.

---

#2 Quinton de Kock vs Andre Russell

Lucknow wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock has an average of 37 against KKR at a strike rate of 152, including a 70-ball 140* last year.

His strike rate shoots up to 240 against Russell, having scored 89 runs off 37 balls. Nitish Rana has used Russell inside the powerplay often this year and de Kock is likely to target the Kolkata all-rounder.

The duel between de Kock and Russell might very well decide the outcome of the match.

---

#3 Sunil Narine vs LSG batters

The Lucknow batters had a difficult time tackling ace spinner Sunil Narine last year. Only Deepak Hooda boasts a strike rate of over 100 against the mystery spinners.

Rana will look to use Narine in different phases of the game and expect him to provide breakthroughs. If the West Indian gets going, the Super Giants are likely to have a difficult time.