Updates (April 22, 2025)
1. Recent Thriller: DC vs LSG Match 4 Recap (March 24, 2025)
Result: Delhi Capitals won by 1 wicket in a last-over thriller 139.
- LSG Innings:
- Top Performers:
- Nicholas Pooran: 75 off 30 balls (6 fours, 7 sixes).
- Mitchell Marsh: 72 off 36 balls (6 fours, 6 sixes)ย 112.
- Bowling Highlights: Mitchell Starc (3/42) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/20) restricted LSG to 209/8ย 19.
- Top Performers:
- DC Innings:
- Collapse & Recovery: DC slumped to 113/6 beforeย Ashutosh Sharmaย (66* off 31) andย Vipraj Nigamย (39 off 15) staged a dramatic comebackย 312.
- Key Moments:
- Ashutosh hit a six off Shahbaz Ahmedโs final over to seal the winย 3.
- LSGโs Shardul Thakur (2/19) and Ravi Bishnoi (2/31) nearly defended the totalย 9.
2. Upcoming LSG vs DC Match 40 Preview (April 22, 2025)
Venue: Ekana Stadium, Lucknow | Time: 7:30 PM IST 10.
Team Form & Key Concerns
- LSG (WLWWW):
- Rishabh Pantโs Struggles: 106 runs in 8 matches, strike rate of 98ย 25.
- Bowling Woes: Death-over leaks; spinners Digvesh Rathi (9 wickets) and Ravi Bishnoi under pressureย 57.
- Possible Return: Mayank Yadav (Impact Sub) may replace Prince Yadavย 7.
- DC (LWLWW):
- Top-Order Instability: Four opening pairs used, averaging 21.28 runs per partnershipย 57.
- Axar Patelโs Dip: 1 wicket at 9.36 economy; relies on Kuldeep Yadav (Pooranโs nemesis: 74 runs off 70 balls, 5 dismissals)ย 25.
- Key Absentee: Faf du Plessis likely sidelinedย 7.
Pitch Report 2610
- Surface: Red soil (used in LSGโs two losses this season).
- Trends:
- Average 1st innings score: 182.
- Chasing advantage: 7 wins in 11 matches at Ekana (2024โ25).
- Spinners and pacers share dominance; dew may favor chasing.
Weather Forecast
- Temperature: 28ยฐC at match time, no rain expectedย 10.
Predicted XIs
- LSG: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathiย 27.
- DC: Abishek Porel, KL Rahul (wk), Karun Nair, Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumarย 710.
Head-to-Head & Stats
- Overall: 3โ3ย 312.
- Key Battles:
- Pooran vs Kuldeep: 10 runs off 6 balls in their last meetingย 5.
- Starcโs Reverse Swing: Critical in death overs (8 wickets in 2 games earlier)ย 5.
3. DCโs 2025 IPL Campaign
- Standings: 2nd with 5 wins in 7 matchesย 57.
- Recent Matches:
- Loss to GT: DC posted 203/8, but Jos Buttlerโs 97* secured GTโs winย 12.
- Super Over Win vs RR: Starcโs yorkers forced a tie, DC clinched via Super Overย 5.
4. LSG vs GT Context
While not the focus here, LSGโs previous clash with GT saw them defend 180/5 (Markram 66, Badoni 50) in a 2-run win over RR. Abdul Samadโs 30* off 10 was pivotal 12.
5. Key Takeaways for Todayโs Match
- LSGโs Red-Soil Curse: Lost both games on this surface; DC may exploitย 26.
- Ashutosh Sharmaโs Form: Match-winner in the last encounter; LSG must plan for his power-hittingย 312.
- Pantโs Redemption Arc: A strong innings could shift momentum for LSGย 5.
- Starc vs Samad: Samadโs strike rate of 222 in death overs vs Starcโs yorkersย 57.
Final Prediction:ย DC to edge LSGย in another close contest, banking on middle-order firepower and Starcโs death bowling. LSGโs home struggles on red soil may continue












