On Friday, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) dropped Manish Pandey for the 2nd time in TATA IPL 2022. The seasoned right-handed batter missed out on the team’s playing 11 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the MCA(Maharashtra Cricket Association) Stadium in Pune.
Pandey was dropped after the first 3-matches due to inadequate form before being reinstated. He couldn’t do something substantial overall, recording just 88 runs from 6-games at an average of 14.67. His strike rate of 110 is also the worse since 2013.
Fast bowler Avesh Khan, who missed the last few matches due to injury, has replaced him in the squad. Captain KL Rahul described at the toss that the team needed an extra bowler for the high-scoring terms in Pune. He recommended they don’t need a different batter, with all-rounder Jason Holder able to bat at No. 7.
Rahul said:
“It’s high boundary-scoring ground; it’s comparatively slower to the other grounds we’ve played in. So just felt like one extra bowler would give me a bit more options. We’ve batted Jason at No. 8, and he hasn’t gotten enough batting time. So it would be a good opportunity for him at No. 7. Ideally, I wouldn’t want him to bat, but if he does, then he just gets a good opportunity to show his batting skills.”
#PBKS have won the toss and they will bowl first against #LSG.
Live – https://t.co/fhL4hICkLZ #PBKSvLSG #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/iwWj6sJ6Nr
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 29, 2022
The 2nd-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2021, Avesh has been brilliant this season as likewise. The 25-year-old at present has 11 wickets from 7-matches, including his best IPL figures of 4/24. While Rahul and Co. are coming off good bowling achievements, Avesh’s return boosts their campaign.
LSG is playing 11 without Manish Pandey.
Pesh hai aaj ke dumdaar yoddha! 💪#IPL2022 🏆 #bhaukaalmachadenge #lsg #LucknowSuperGiants #T20 #TataIPL pic.twitter.com/DuzRQCZSNP
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) April 29, 2022
LSG’s playing 11 Performers: Quinton de Kock(w), KL Rahul(c), Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Dushmantha Chameera, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Jason Holder, Mohsin Khan
PBKS have gone with the same squad as their 11-run win against Chennai Super Kings(CSK).
PBKS playing 11 Performers: Mayank Agarwal(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma(w), Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Rishi Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Sharma, Arshdeep Singh.
Also read- 6 foreign players in Mohammad Kaif’s all-time IPL XI, MS Dhoni, were picked as skippers.