The high-flying Rajasthan Royals will be looking to maintain their impressive form when they take on the formidable Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium on Saturday.
Both teams have had a solid campaign so far. RR find themselves at the top of the table having won seven of their eight matches. Meanwhile, LSG are placed fourth with five wins from eight games.
When these two teams met earlier in the season, RR came out on top in a close contest thanks to clinical performances with both bat and ball. However, LSG will be keen to settle the score on their home turf.
LSG are likely to back their winning formula and enter the field with an unchanged playing XI. Skipper KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock have provided flying starts at the top while Marcus Stoinis has grabbed headlines with his match-winning knock in the previous game.
RR too are expected to stick to their trusted combination. Young gun Yashasvi Jaiswal has been in ominous touch and he'll look to provide another explosive start. Jos Buttler continues to pile on the runs while Shimron Hetmyer and the returning Sanju Samson make for a formidable middle order.
The head-to-head stats favor RR, who have won three of the four clashes so far. However, LSG know a win today could help them leapfrog opponents in the points table.
Conditions are suitable for batting with temperatures around 31 degrees. Humidity might cause discomfort but rain is not expected during the match. The pitch often helps spinners but pacers could also find some swing early on.
Fans are in for an exciting contest as these powerhouses go head to head. A cracking game of cricket is on the cards.
