IPL 2022: Match 12 - Predicted Lucknow Super Giants Playing XI vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

An upbeat Lucknow Super Giants will be locking horns with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 12 of IPL 2022 at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on April 4. After suffering a five-wicket loss to the other new entrants Gujarat Titans in their season opener, a spirited Lucknow team staged a good comeback against the defending champions Chennai Super Kings with a six-wicket win.

LSG have sorted out their batting issues to some extent after their top-order was dismissed cheaply by Mohammed Shami with hardly anything on the board during the powerplay overs. They also have an amazing middle-order that is capable of changing the course of the game. Bowling is the main concern for now which they would be hoping to improve as the tournament progresses.

Having registered an impressive win in a high-scoring encounter against CSK, the Lucknow Super Giants would be hoping to field the same XI but, with the West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder coming in, they will be more than happy to field him for the game against the Orange Army and bench one of their overseas recruits.

Here’s a look at the Lucknow Super Giants predicted XI against Sunrisers Hyderabad

Openers: KL Rahul (c) and Quinton de Kock (wk)

After both of them failed against Shami in the first game, the opening pair of skipper  KL Rahul and wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock roared back to form with an excellent batting display against CSK in the next game. Rahul scored a 26-ball 40 while De Kock scored a blistering 61 runs off 45 deliveries. More importantly, the duo was involved in a 99-run opening stand in a chase of 211.

Both openers will yet again be expected to fire on all cylinders as they take on a demoralized SRH bowling line-up who were unimpressive in their campaign opener against the Rajasthan Royals.

Middle Order: Evin Lewis, Manish Pandey, Ayush Badoni

Lucknow indeed have a strong middle-order on paper but they have proved it right with some outstanding performances on the 22 yards in the last couple of games. Youngster Ayush Badoni and Deepak Hooda’s half-centuries helped LSG post a respectable score against Gujarat after they were reduced to 29/4. In the second game, they found a new hero in West Indies power-hitter Evin Lewis, who played a match-winning innings, scoring an unbeaten 55 runs off 23 deliveries.

Manish Pandey will be hoping to find form from hereon. The senior middle-order batter has only managed 11 runs from two games and he needs just one good innings which could do well for his self-confidence.

All-rounders: Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, and Jason Holder

Jason Holder is expected to be available for selection for the game against SRH and he would be hoping to create a good first impression. Apart from providing timely breakthroughs with the ball in hand, Holder can also play match-defining knocks in the middle order. If selected, the tall all-rounder could replace Sri Lanka pacer Dushmantha Chameera. Chameera did pick up two wickets against GT, but went wicketless against CSK.

Krunal Pandya would also be expected to score at a brisk rate in the middle and death overs and provide handy breakthroughs with his left-arm spin. The southpaw has so far managed 21 runs and one wicket from two matches. He went wicketless in the last game and could not get a chance to bat as Badoni and Lewis got the job done chasing 211. As mentioned above, Hooda already has a fifty under his belt this season and many eyes will be on him.

Bowlers: Andrew Tye, Ravi Bishnoi, and, Avesh Khan

The LSG bowlers were brilliant in the first game defending a 150+ target but seemed to have lost their lines and lengths against Chennai as they conceded a total in excess of 200. Nonetheless, Lucknow’s bowling line-up did impress with the ball as Andrew Tye, Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi registered two scalps each in the last game.

These bowlers would not only be hoping to chip in with quick wickets at regular intervals but also keep the run rate in check which could help them in defending totals and make the job easier for their batters while chasing.