New Delhi, May 14 (IANS): Lucknow Super Giants skipper K.L. Rahul has won the toss and elected to bowl first against Delhi Capitals in match 64 of IPL 2024 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday evening. All matches played at the venue in IPL 2024 have been won by teams batting first.
Both DC and LSG need to win Tuesday’s match to keep their slim hopes of reaching playoffs alive. A loss for either of the two teams means their path to playoffs becomes all but over, more so for DC, who suffered a hammer blow to their chances through a 47-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
After winning the toss, Rahul said fast-bowlers Arshad Khan and Yudhvir Singh come into the playing eleven, along with pacer Mohsin Khan. “It is because of how our team is placed and what will help our team. We are a young bowling attack and get them into the game early, we have experienced batters and they can take the pressure.”
“It is pretty clear for us, we have to win both games. In the last two games, we have not been up to the mark and have been blasted out of the game. The bowlers have to be brave, as a bowling unit you might fear using change ups but they have to do just back themselves.”
Rishabh Pant, back to lead DC after missing the crucial game against RCB due to a one-match suspension related to a third slow-over rate offence, said he and Gulbadin Naib return to the playing eleven in place of Kumar Kushagra and David Warner.
“We would have batted first as we have done that here a lot. There are a lot of things going on (regarding qualification) but you can only focus on winning the game. If you had not lost too many wickets we would have won that game, but easier to say that from sitting out.”
“Fielding is a concern throughout the season but as a captain, you can ask the players to give their best and they are doing that. JFM's fearless approach, being in the moment has been impressive. Players like him, who give 200%, are what you want.”
Playing XIs:
Delhi Capitals: Abishek Porel, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Gulbadin Naib, Rasikh Dar Salam, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed
Impact Substitutes: Ishant Sharma, Kumar Kushagra, Pravin Dubey, Lalit Yadav and Swastik Chhikara
Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c & wk), Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Arshad Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq and Mohsin Khan
Impact Substitutes: Ayush Badoni, Devdutt Padikkal, Prerak Mankad, Manimaran Siddharth and Krishnappa Gowtham