In the 29th match of the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, India will take on defending champions England at Lucknow’s Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Sunday, October 29. With a flawless record of five wins, the Men in Blue are striving to improve their chances of making it to the semifinals.
On the other hand, England, the defending champions, have suffered their fourth loss in the tournament. They need a victory in the upcoming match to stay alive in the race to the semifinals. The team will need to address some issues, especially in the batting department, to tackle the world-class Indian bowling attack.
Ahead of a do-or-die game for England, fans will be eyeing the clear weather. Weather agency Accuweather predicts a hazy afternoon in Lucknow, ensuring that rain will not disrupt the India vs. England match. The humidity will remain at 30 per cent, with no chance of precipitation. Cloud cover is anticipated to be at 13 per cent, and the temperature will fluctuate between 18 and 31 degrees Celsius. This means fans can expect a full-fledged 100-over game.
How’s the Lucknow pitch going to play during the India vs England game?
The pitch at Lucknow’s Ekana Cricket Stadium favours the batters, with spinners also finding opportunities to impact the game due to the slower pace of the ball. However, a recent pitch relay earlier this year has introduced an element of unpredictability. Out of the 12 ODI matches hosted, the Ekana Stadium saw the team batting first win three times, while the team bowling first secured victory nine times.
In the last five games, the average first-inning score was 256, while the average second-inning score was 230. The ongoing World Cup 2023 witnessed South Africa’s remarkable 311-run score against Australia. It’s worth noting that in their previous encounter with South Africa in 2022, India faced a nine-run defeat. Meanwhile, England prepares for their first ODI appearance at the Ekana Stadium.
