Two new entrants to the Indian T20 League, Gujarat and Lucknow will feature in the tournament for the first time on 28th March 2022. Rahul has been given the responsibility of leading the Lucknow side, while Gujarat will be led by Hardik Pandya.
Needless to say, both sides will look to start their run in the Indian T20 League with a win under their belt. Both these sides have some match-winners who can change the course of a match in a jiffy.
Team News
Gujarat
Hardik Pandya has been appointed as the skipper, while Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha will open the batting. The bowling attack consists of two proven match-winners in Rashid Khan and Mohammed Shami.
Unavailable players:Â Alzaari Joseph is rendering his services for the West Indies side and will not be available for this clash. Jason Roy has pulled out of the tournament.
Probable XI:Â Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Matthew Wade, Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Hardik Pandya (c), Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, R Sai Kishore
Key Players
Rashid Khan:Â Rashid Khan has several variations up his sleeve and can outsmart the batter with the way be bowls. He also bowls tight lines and is an asset for any side he plays for.
Shubman Gill:Â This youngster has the gift of timing and if he gets his eye in, he can prove to be a thorn in the flesh for the opposition.
Lucknow
Two trailblazing batters, KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock will open the batting. Two exciting young talents, Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan will be the players to keep an eye on. All-rounders Krunal Pandya and Krishnappa Gowtham add balance to the side.
Unavailable players:Â Marcus Stoinis and Kyle Mayers are on nation duty for their respective teams, while Mark Wood has been ruled out because of injury.
Probable XI:Â KL Rahul (C), Quinton De Kock (WK), Evin Lewis, Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ravi Bishnoi, Andrew Tye, Ankit Rajpoot, Avesh Khan
Key Players
KL Rahul:Â He is without doubt the most important asset of the franchise. Rahul is a batter who can shift between caution and aggression and put pressure on the opposition.
Avesh Khan:Â Avesh Khan was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2021 edition of the Indian T20 League and scalped 24 wickets in the season. Khan can get the ball to move both ways and is good at the death as well.
Match Details
Venue:Â Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Time:Â 07:30 PM
Live Telecast:Â Star Sports and Disney+Hotstar
Pitch Report
The bowlers will get some help on this track. The ball might stop a bit on the batter and run-scoring might not be a cakewalk on this surface.
Records at the Wankhede Stadium
Highest Total:Â 235/1 by Bangalore in 2015
Lowest Total:Â 67 by Kolkata in 2008
Weather Report:Â There is no chance of rain for the match. The temperature will hover around the 30-degree mark for this encounter.
