Indian T20 League 2022: Match 31 –Lucknow vs Bangalore– Preview, Playing XIs, Pitch Report, Updates

Lucknow will take on Bangalore in the 31st match of the Indian T20 League 2022 on Tuesday at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai. Both teams are playing formidable cricket at the moment and one can expect a cracker of a contest on Tuesday.

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Lucknow are currently placed at number two on the points table, having managed to secure 4 wins out of 6 matches, while Bangalore are at third position with an equal number of wins in 6 matches.

Team News:

Lucknow

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Lucknow are coming into this game on the back of an 18-run win over Mumbai. KL Rahul scored his maiden century of the ongoing season in that encounter and helped the team reach a mammoth 199-run total.

In reply, Lucknow restricted Mumbai to 181 runs. Heading into the next game, KL Rahul and Co. would be looking to continue the winning momentum.

Players to watch out for:

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KL Rahul

After scoring a sensational century in the last game against Mumbai, KL Rahul now finds himself at second position in the orange cap list. He has found his form back and you expect him to continue that going ahead in the tournament.

Quinton de Kock

KL Rahul’s ally, Quinton de Kock too is in a brilliant form. He has been consistently providing solid starts and is currently the second highest run-scorer for the team. The southpaw has 212 runs to his name in 6 matches at an average of 35.33.

Avesh Khan

Every time Lucknow has been in search of wickets, KL Rahul has handed the ball to Avesh Khan. And, the Indian pacer delivered on most occasions. He has been bowling brilliantly in the tournament. In 6 matches, he has 11 wickets to his name at an average of 17.09. In the last game, he returned with figures of 3 for 30 in 4 overs.

Probable Playing XI:

KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Jason Holder, Krunal Pandya, K Gowtham Dushmantha Chameera, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi

Bangalore:

Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli are yet to find their best form. However, the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed and Dinesh Karthik are doing a fine job with the bat for the team.

All three made vital contributions in the last game and helped the team reach a formidable score of 189 runs at the end of the the first innings against Delhi. Later, Delhi were restricted 173 runs in the second innings, thanks to stellar bowling spells from Siraj and Hazlewood.

Players to watch out for:

1. Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik has looked a completely different player this year. He has been making heads turn with his sensational ball-striking display. Despite batting at lower down the order, he is currently the highest run-getter for Bangalore. In 6 matches, Karthik has managed to score 197 runs at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 209.57.

2. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell too has been in fine form. He is coming into this game on the back of an outstanding knock of 55 runs in 34 balls, a knock which had 7 fours and 2 sixes. Expect him to replicate a similar knock on Tuesday.

3. Josh Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood was at his very best in the last game. He bowled wicket-to-wicket and gave the opposition batters little room to play their shots. Josh Hazlewood returned with figures of 3 for 28 in 4 overs in the last game, helping the team win the game by 16 runs.

Probable Playing XI:

Faf du Plessis (c), Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Suyash Prabhudessai, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj

Match Details:

Date: 19th April 2022

Venue: Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai

Time: 7:30 PM

Streaming Details: Star Sports Network for TV, Disney+ Hotstar for online streaming

Pitch Report:

The 31^st match of the Indian T20 League is slated to be played between Bangalore and Lucknow on Tuesday at Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai. The wicket is slightly on the slower side and ball doesn’t come on very nicely on to the bat.

The batsman would still be looking to attack right from the onset. Expect spinners to come into play in the middle overs. With dew factor in mind, both teams should look to bowl first upon winning the toss.