Lucknow Super Giants lead the head-to-head battle against Sunrisers Hyderabad 3-1, but the one game SRH managed to win in 2024 resulted in a never seen before confrontation between Lucknow owner Sanjiv Goenka and the team’s former captain KL Rahul. SRH annihilated LSG by chasing 166 in just 58 balls in Hyderabad last year.
Lucknow and Hyderabad are known for their tasty biriyani. Leaving the cuisine side, the two teams share quite a few similarities in their squad as well.
Australian openers
Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, the destructive Australian openers are leading the assault at the top for both sides. The duo started in identical fashion in their respective opening games. Travis Head smashed a fifty off just 21 balls against RR, the fastest of the season. Mitchell Marsh matched Head’s record by smashing a 21-ball fifty of his own against Delhi Capitals. Marsh has to face the swing bowling of Mohammad Shami, whereas Head will be looking to feast on the inexperienced LSG pace attack.
Talented Indian left-hand batters
Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant, friends from U19 days, encountered contrasting starts on their debut game with their new teams. Kishan smashed 106* off 47 balls against RR, whereas Pant had to settle for a 6-ball duck against his former side, Delhi Capitals. Pant also shoulders the captaincy responsibility and will be desperate to get the first win for his new team. LSG’s Indian batters contributed just 13 out of the 209 they posted against DC. Kishan on the other hand got talented strokemakers Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Reddy by his side. Can Rishabh Pant deliver?
Smashers in action
The two sides boast six-hitting machines in their ranks. Nicholas Pooran has smashed the most sixes (194) in T20s since 2024 and South African Heinrich Klaasen is 2nd on the list with 118 sixes to his name. Pooran smashed 7 maximums against Delhi Capitals, whereas Klaasen settled for only one six against the Royals. Pooran and Klaasen are carrying the legacy of Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers and it will be a game within the game for six-hitting bragging rights.
