LSG vs MI promises to be a cracking Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 Eliminator clash. Both teams had to undergo a few nervy moments before sealing their spot in the last four. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) finished level on points with second-placed Chennai Super Kings (CSK), but the four-time champions had a superior net run rate. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians made the playoffs after Gujarat Giants beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final league stage match.
The iconic Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, will host the match on Wednesday at 7:30 PM.
Lucknow Super Giants
LSG’s formidable batting unit has been its strength this season. Once KL Rahul was ruled out, Quinton de Kock filled in the void left by the LSG skipper. Kyle Mayers, who missed the franchise’s last game, could be drafted into the playing 11 in place of Naveen-ul-Haq. The opening batter scored a brilliant half-century against CSK at Chidambaram Stadium in IPL 2023.
Expectations will be high on Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, and stand-in captain Krunal Pandya, who are having an excellent season. The West Indian batter’s 58 steered LSG to a challenging total in the one-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in LSG’s previous fixture.
LSG spinners Ravi Bishnoi, Krunal, and Krishnappa Gowtham will look to make the maximum out of a Chennai pitch, which will likely offer plenty of assistance to spinners. In the likely absence of Naveen-ul-Haq, Avesh Khan and Mohsin will have a huge responsibility on their shoulders.
Mumbai Indians
With Rohit Sharma finding his touch, MI batting looks very strong. Ishan Kishan and the MI skipper could boss the bowlers in the powerplay. Cameron Green and Suryakumar can sustain the pressure on LSG bowlers in the middle overs, while Tim David can provide fireworks at will. Ishan, Rohit, and Suryakumar have experience playing in the spin-friendly Chennai track, which could make a big difference.
MI fans’ only worry will be the bowling department. The pacer bowlers have struggled to put pressure on opposition batters in the powerplay. Jason Behrendorff and Green haven’t really made the desired impact so far. But Rohit will be pleased with uncapped Akash Madhwal, who grabbed four wickets at the fag end of the innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Piyush Chawla, MI’s IPL 2023 leading wicket-taker, is another player who will likely claim a few wickets in Chennai.
LSG vs MI Head-to-Head
LSG is unbeaten in three outings against MI in IPL. In the previous fixture between both teams Marcus Stoinis’ unbeaten 89 propelled LSG to 177. Ravi Bishnoi and uncapped Yash Thakur took two wickets each as the Lucknow-based team clinched a narrow win over the five-time champions.
LSG vs MI Last Three Meetings
LSG & MI IPL 2023 Stats
- Top Run-scorer: Marcus Stoinis – 368 runs (LSG); Suryakumar Yadav – 511 runs (MI)
- Most Wickets: Ravi Bishnoi – 16 wickets (LSG); Piyush Chawla – 20 wickets (MI)
- Highest Sixes: Nicholas Pooran & Marcus Stoinis – 26 sixes (LSG); Suryakumar Yadav – 24 sixes (MI)
LSG vs MI – Who Will Win?
LSG and MI will pin their hopes on their strong batting unit. Both teams have brilliant opening batters and players who can up the scoring rate in the middle overs and provide the fireworks later in the innings. LSG will go into the fixture with the advantage of having three quality spinners at their disposal, while MI will have to rely on Piyush Chawla solely. The Krunal Pandya-led side has the edge over Rohit Sharma’s men in the Eliminator.