3 player battles to watch out for in LSG vs PBKS, Match 11 of IPL 2024 ft. KL Rahul vs Arshdeep Singh

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match number 11 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday, March 30.

Lucknow lost to Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 20 runs in their opening contest in Jaipur, failing to chase down the 194-run target. LSG are currently languishing at the bottom of the points table and will be keen to get off the mark on the points table as they play their first home match.

Punjab, on the other hand, beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by four wickets in Mullanpur, chasing down a tricky 175-run target, courtesy of Sam Curran's stunning 63-run knock. However, they suffered their maiden defeat, slumping to a four-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their subsequent fixture.

The Shikhar Dhawan-led PBKS side are currently placed fifth in the standings. A win against LSG will take them into the top four in the points table.

The contest between Lucknow and Punjab promises to be a high-octane affair, with both teams expected to go all guns blazing in an attempt to claim two valuable points. Here, we take a look at three player battles which could be the highlight of the game.

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KL Rahul (LSG) vs Arshdeep Singh (PBKS)

KL Rahul scored 58 runs off 44 balls in LSG's IPL 2024 opener.

LSG captain KL Rahul made his on-field return in IPL 2024 following an injury-forced layoff. He sustained a quadriceps injury during Team India's five-match home Test series against England.

Upon his return, he managed to get some runs under his belt, kicking off his campaign with a 58-run knock against RR. However, he received some flak for scoring at a strike rate of 131.82 while chasing a 194-run target.

While Rahul is expected to do most of the heavy lifting for LSH in their upcoming clash, PBKS' left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh could prove to be a thorn in the flesh for him.

Arshdeep has conceded just 17 runs from 18 balls against Rahul and has also been successful in dismissing him once in the IPL. The lanky pacer is likely to take the new ball for his team, and his battle against Rahul could very well dictate the course of the innings.

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Krunal Pandya (LSG) vs Jonny Bairstow (PBKS)

Jonny Bairstow will be keen to get some runs under his belt.

LSG all-rounder Krunal Pandya was the pick of the bowlers in the team's IPL 2024 opener against RR. While the left-arm spinner remained wicketless, he conceded just 19 runs from his full quota of four overs.

He specializes in bowling miserly spells in white-ball cricket and could make life difficult for Jonny Bairstow, who has struggled against spinners in the past.

The swashbuckling English batter registered scores of 9 and 8 in his first two outings of the season and will be desperate to get a substantial score to his name.

Bairstow averages just 20.80 against left-arm spin in the IPL. He has been dismissed five times against them and has scored 104 runs off 105 balls at a strike rate of 99.04.

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Nicholas Pooran (LSG) vs Kagiso Rabada (PBKS)

Nicholas Pooran in action.

Nicholas Pooran has been in red-hot form in T20 cricket lately, and his stocks have risen exponentially after having proved his mettle in several franchise-based T20 leagues.

The southpaw's contribution with the bat will be key for Lucknow, especially towards the back end, given that he is capable of single-handedly winning matches. Pooran delivered an explosive unbeaten knock of 64 against Rajasthan.

Punjab captain Shikhar Dhawan will back his overseas star Kagiso Rabada to be up against Pooran. The South African speedster has bowled to Pooran five times in the IPL so far and has succeeded in getting him out twice.

This match-up will be key for both Lucknow and Punjab and is also bound to delight the fans as two proven campaigners engage in a game of one-upmanship.