IPL Eliminator 1
Stadium: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
24 May 2023
Playing in their first eliminator of the season Lucknow Super Giants will welcome Mumbai Indians at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on 24th May. The winning team will play in the second qualifier against Gujarat. Who will win this game?
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The Lucknow Super Giants have experienced a mixed season so far, with a strong start followed by a slight dip in performance during the middle stages. They also faced the setback of a washed-out game. However, their three consecutive wins towards the end of the group stage secured them the 3rd position on the table.
As they enter this knockout match, the team aims to maintain their momentum and overcome the challenge posed by the Mumbai Indians.
While there haven't been any standout individual performers with the bat, the Lucknow Super Giants have displayed collective batting strength, which is a positive aspect for them. The opening pair of Kyle Mayers and Quinton de Kock provides a strong start. Mayers had an impressive start to the season, although his form has dipped in recent matches.
In the past few matches, Mayers has been excluded from the playing XI, but it might not be the right choice to leave out such a proven match-winner in an Eliminator.
De Kock is renowned for his T20 exploits, and the team relies on him to deliver a substantial inning in this crucial match. The middle order consisting of Marcus Stoinis, Ayush Badoni, and Nicholas Pooran adds further strength. We anticipate the middle-order players to play a significant role in this contest.
If the pitch is slow, players like Stoinis, Badoni, and Pooran will play a crucial part in helping the team achieve an above-par total.
Bowling hasn't been the strongest suit for the Super Giants this season. Although Ravi Bishnoi has performed well, the consistency of other spinners like Krunal Pandya and Krishnappa Gowtham has been lacking. The seam bowling, represented by Yash Thakur and Naveen ul-Haq, has been hit or miss in terms of taking wickets.
A slow wicket, similar to their home ground, may not work in favor of the team. The Super Giants' home record this season has been disappointing, and it would be more beneficial for them to play on a good batting surface.
Lucknow Super Giants Predicted Lineup
Quinton de Kock (wk), Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya (c), Prerak Mankad, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Amit Mishra, Yash Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan
Mumbai Indians
The Mumbai Indians had a challenging start to the season, losing four of their first seven matches, which kept their fate uncertain until the last moment. However, thanks to an excellent batting performance by Cameron Green in the final group stage fixture and favorable results from other teams, the Mumbai Indians managed to scrape through and continue their campaign.
Ishan Kishan has displayed impressive form at the top of the batting order, scoring three half-centuries. Fans were delighted to witness Rohit Sharma finding his rhythm and contributing with a half-century in the last match. The middle-order batting has been a strong point for the Mumbai Indians, with Suryakumar Yadav and Cameron Green performing exceptionally well.
Tim David and Nehal Wadhera have also made valuable contributions with important cameos, adding depth to the batting lineup.
There's no denying that the Mumbai Indians possess the strongest batting lineup and rely on their ability to outscore the opposition. However, a slow surface in Chennai might pose a challenge, but we have confidence in players like Suryakumar Yadav and Tim David to adapt and find a way to succeed.
When it comes to bowling, Piyush Chawla has been the standout performer, picking up 20 wickets. Chris Jordan has not been in the best of form with the new ball, but Jason Behrendorff has shown promise. Depending on the conditions, the Mumbai Indians may consider leaving Behrendorff out of the playing XI. Jordan performed well in the death overs in the previous match, but he could face a tough time against the likes of Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran.
Akash Madhwal has proven himself to be a reliable bowler at the death and will play a crucial role in this match.
Mumbai Indians Predicted Lineup
Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Kumar Kartikeya, Chris Jordan, Piyush Chawla, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal
Expert betting tips
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai has witnessed several high-scoring matches this season and is typically regarded as a favorable batting pitch. However, recent matches have indicated a slight slowdown in the pitch, requiring batsmen to take their time to settle before unleashing big shots. Fast bowlers will need to maintain accuracy in their line and length to avoid being targeted by the batsmen. Spinners can anticipate some turn on this surface. The weather forecast predicts warm and humid conditions with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. As Mumbai has not done well outside Wankhede we expect LSG to win the game and set up a game against Gujarat.