Punjab Kings would be keen to put brakes on Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul’s rollicking batting form and notch up a win when the two sides clash in an IPL 2022 game in Pune on Friday (April 29). Lucknow are currently in fourth spot, having five wins and three losses from eight games, while Punjab are at sixth, with four wins and as many losses.


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Lucknow beat Mumbai Indians by 36 runs in their last game, while Punjab come into the game after defeating Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs. Rahul has been in sublime form at the top of order and has already hit two hundreds – both against Mumbai Indians – and a fifty-plus score this season.


With 368 runs, he is the second highest run-getter so far this season, just behind Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler and has been the batting mainstay for his team. Punjab’s balanced bowling attack, led by South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, would be keen to put the brakes on the stylish right-handed batter.


Rabada and the likes of Arshdeep Singh, who has been impressive in death overs, Sandeep Sharma, Rishi Dhawan and Rahul Chahar, would need to pose serious questions to Rahul at the MCA stadium, which has witnessed high-scoring thrillers. Leg-spinner Chahar is the leading wicket taker for Punjab with 10 scalps but he would need to step up even more to help his team’s cause.


For Lucknow, captain Rahul needs support from other batters, including his opening partner Quinton De Kock, who failed in the game against Mumbai as he was dismissed for 10. De Kock, who has scored 225 runs so far, has not done full justice to his potential and needs to fire on all cylinders and add weight to the LSG batting.


Match Details


Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants, Match No. 42


Venue: MCA Stadium, Pune


Date & Time: April 29th at 7:30 PM IST


Live Streaming: Star Sports Network, Star Gold and Disney+Hotstar


PBKS vs LSG Dream 11 Prediction


Wicketkeeper: KL Rahul


Batters: Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Ayush Badoni


All-rounders: Rishi Dhawan, Jason Holder, Krunal Pandya


Bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi


Captain: KL Rahul


Vice-Captain: Shikhar Dhawan


PBKS vs LSG Probable Playing XI


Punjab Kings: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jonny Bairstow, Kagiso Rabada, Rishi Dhawan, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Sharma


Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Krunal Pandya, Manish Pandey, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, Jason Holder, Marcus Stoinis, Dushmantha Chameera, Avesh Khan/Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi