LSG vs PBKS Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2024 match?

After the streak of home teams winning was broken in Match 10 of IPL 2024, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will look to start a new one at the Ekana Stadium against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Saturday, March 30.

Historically, the Super Giants haven't made the most of their home advantage. They won three and lost three games in IPL 2023, and with the square retaining many of the same characteristics that made run-scoring difficult, their batters might have to dig in and apply themselves.

Nevertheless, captain KL Rahul continues to dig in a bit too much. The LSG captain's painstaking knock, yet another one at the top of the order, meant that they didn't have enough momentum in their chase against the Rajasthan Royals. Lucknow, thus, come into the clash without any points.

PBKS, meanwhile, have two points from as many games. They outlasted the Delhi Capitals in a controlled chase before falling to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. It was the Kings' death bowling that let them down on, with Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh resorting to the worst possible options at key junctures.

The two teams have faced each other thrice before, with LSG coming out on top twice. Can the Super Giants extend their favorable head-to-head record over the Kings and get off the mark in IPL 2024, or will Punjab return to winning ways?

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IPL 2024, LSG vs PBKS: KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan look to solve contrasting problems

LSG head coach Justin Langer has said that he isn't worried about KL Rahul's strike rate, but perhaps he should be. The opening batter has refused to change his approach for years now, and there have been plenty of games where that has worked clearly against the franchise.

Rahul isn't the only captain with a problem to sort out, though. Shikhar Dhawan struggled to get off the blocks in the last game. But unlike his counterpart, he was more than willing to admit that he needs to make the most of the powerplay. With Jonny Bairstow and Quinton de Kock not being at their best right now, the two captains need to come to the party.

Unfortunately, that won't be easy at the Ekana Stadium, where bounce has been considerably low. There are reports that fast bowlers might get more assistance at the venue during IPL 2024, and India's 2023 World Cup game against England provided enough evidence of the same.

If that happens, LSG's struggling pace unit of Mohsin Khan, Yash Thakur and Naveen-ul-Haq could find themselves brought to a relatively even keel against PBKS' four-pronged attack. With Rahul Chahar struggling to create wicket-taking opportunities in the middle overs, Lucknow's middle order could capitalize on the post-powerplay phase.

The two teams are somewhat evenly matched, but LSG might just have more match-winners. If the likes of Nicholas Pooran and Ravi Bishnoi can sit up and make IPL 2024 take notice, the hosts could come on top. A close contest should be on the cards, though.

Prediction: LSG to win Match 11 of IPL 2024