🏏IPL 2025 Match 54: PBKS vs LSG at Dharamsala @ 7.30 PM IST🏏 - Page 3

It was so far ago that the Lucknow Super Giants were not even an entity. They have been around only since 2022, and funnily enough, have more playoff appearances than PBKS in the last ten years. But one playoff appearance in three seasons still feels less, especially for a franchise and owner who has experienced considerable success in Indian sport. And they will, while they still have the chance, want to mirror what their namesakes from the further east have already accomplished this year.

The last time the Punjab Kings made the playoffsw, Real Madrid were enduring a ten-plus-year barren run in the UEFA Champions League, the Lionel Messi-Luis Suarez-Neymar trio had not been formed, Argentina had not reached a FIFA World Cup final in 24 years, the Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians had only three titles between them, and the Punjab Kings went by a different name.

This will be the Punjab Kings' first game at Dharamsala this season, and marks the start of a three-match home stretch culminating next Sunday. What to expect then, and what might the Super Giants have up their sleeve?

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran and Shreyas Iyer have gone ballistic at the top and has allowed the middle-order to breathe easy most times. Their bowling has international depth and they definitely have a rugged edge over their opponents tonight. The venue is Dharamsala and the ball often flies to all corners of the park. It should be another run feast at this bastion. Bring on your crash helmets!

Punjab opted to go in with just three overseas players in their last game, overlooking Marcus Stoinis, and that meant Suryansh Shedge had to bowl three overs, which were expensive. Will they look to change that tonight? Early signs are that they just might, with word from the ground indicating Stoinis has marked his run-up.

ICYMI: Mitchell Owen, who enjoyed a breakout season for the Hobart Hurricanes in 2024-25, has been signed by PBKS as a replacement for Glenn Maxwell. He will, however, only join once he has wrapped up his PSL commitments

Pitch report: We have 62 mtrs and 68 mtrs on the side. Not a big ground for sure. The average total in evening games is more than 200. Been under the covers for couple of days. Couple of shades to the wicket. Real abrasiveness. The dark parts, the ball will grip and might spin. The spinners will have a bigger part to play. Generally not a lot of dew when there is cloud cover. The bowlers will have enough in it.

Pitch report: We have 62 mtrs and 68 mtrs on the side. Not a big ground for sure. The average total in evening games is more than 200. Been under the covers for couple of days. Couple of shades to the wicket. Real abrasiveness. The dark parts, the ball will grip and might spin. The spinners will have a bigger part to play. Generally not a lot of dew when there is cloud cover. The bowlers will have enough in it.

Lucknow Super Giants have won the toss and have opted to field

My toss luck is back

Rishabh Pant: We will bowl first. We feel it is a bowling first. We don't know how it is going to play. Looks like, it will stop a bit. Little loose on the top. Still, a good wicket. It is going to be a good match. Bowling first we will have the advantage and see how the game unfolds and that's the kinda of advantage we were looking to have.

Lucknow Super Giants have won the toss and have opted to field