Dharamshala, May 4: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 54 of IPL 2025 at the HPCA Stadium on Sunday. This is also PBKS’ first match at their second home venue in the ongoing season after playing four games in New Chandigarh.

PBKS are fourth on the points table with six wins from 10 games and are very much in the reckoning to enter the playoffs. On the other hand, LSG are back after a week-long break from the competition, and are at sixth place with five wins from 11 matches. A win for them will keep their playoffs hopes alive.

After winning the toss, LSG skipper Rishabh Pant said the ball might stop a bit early on, which is why he opted to bowl first. LSG have also kept leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi in the impact substitutes list, which tells that the side feels the pitch would aid seamers. With inclement weather in the city for last two days, LSG have given a cap to left-arm pacer Akash Singh.

“We feel it is a bowling first pitch. We don't know how it is going to play. Looks like, it will stop a bit. Little loose on the top. Still, a good wicket. It is going to be a good match. Bowling first we will have the advantage and see how the game unfolds and that's the kinda of advantage we were looking to have. Just trying to be simple more often. You want people to have conversation when you are losing. Good to see youngsters stepping in,” he said.

PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer said they have made one change – seam-bowling all-rounder Marcus Stoinis comes into the playing eleven. “We would have bowled first as well. The wicket was covered for a while and it was pouring yesterday and the day before. It was under the sheets and you know the moisture it adopts to. The grass is thicker.”

“I don't want to predict how the wicket is going to be. We are up for the competition. You gotta to take positives from the game. You can't dwell on how bad you have done in a particular game. It haunts you every now and then.”

“We need to be in high spirits and keep motivating each other and see to it that we are enjoying each other's success. That's the culture and camaraderie in the team. Just keeping things simple. I know it is tough but that's the mantra,” he said.

Playing XIs

Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Josh Inglis (wk), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Arshdeep Singh

Impact Substitutes: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Harpreet Brar, Pravin Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, and Xavier Bartlett

Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (captain & wicketkeeper), Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Akash Maharaj Singh, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, and Prince Yadav

Impact Substitutes: Ravi Bishnoi, Mitchell Marsh, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Matthew Breetzke

--IANS

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