Confident Lucknow Super Giants eyes revenge against Delhi Capitals

Lucknow Super Giants seek revenge against Delhi Capitals in a top-of-the-table IPL clash, featuring spin battles and key player comebacks.

 A confident Lucknow Super Giants will eye revenge in its reverse fixture against Delhi Capitals in a tussle for the top spot in the IPL at the Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.

Super Giants clinched a nervy two-run win against Rajasthan Royals in their previous match, courtesy Avesh Khan’s pinpoint yorkers in the final over, and his battle with Capitals’ yorker-king Mitchell Starc will be exciting.

However, it is the tantalising clash between two well-rounded spin-bowling units that could be decisive. Digvesh Rathi, LSG’s find of the season, has led the spin attack, with help from Ravi Bishnoi. The duo was instrumental in restricting Gujarat Titans to 180 after a first-wicket stand of 120.

Having experienced significant middle-overs slowdowns in its last two games, against Titans and Royals, Delhi will be wary of this spin combination.

However, a red-soil pitch is likely to be used, which may not favour the host as it has lost both its matches on this type of soil at the venue. Moreover, Delhi’s spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, skipper Axar Patel and local boy Vipraj Nigam can be a handful on any wicket.

Orange Cap holder Nicholas Pooran is a marauder of spin bowling, but has struggled against Kuldeep, scoring at a strike rate of just 105.71 while being dismissed five times in 11 innings.

LSG and DC will hope to see the return of Mayank Yadav and Faf du Plessis, respectively, from injury, and will take heart from the fact that both trained on match eve.