LSG vs DC match is the third fixture in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season. KL Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will play its first-ever IPL fixture at their home ground – Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals (DC), who failed to reach the playoffs last season, will be led by David Warner in the absence of long-term absentee Rishabh Pant. 

It will be the second fixture on Saturday and begins at 7:30 PM. 

Lucknow Super Giants Overview 

LSG has assembled a 25-member squad capable of reaching the playoffs for a second season. The Lucknow-based team has a good mix of experienced players and youngsters. With KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, and Deepak Hooda, LSG has one of the top batting units in the IPL this season. Expect some big totals in matches involving LSG. 

There is also firepower in LSG’s bowling unit. Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, and Ravi Bishnoi have proved their mettle in the game’s shortest format. Also, the presence of Stoinis and Krunal makes LSG a formidable unit. Uncapped Mohsin Khan, who had a brilliant IPL 2022 campaign, will miss the season as the 24-year-old is still recovering from a shoulder injury. 

Delhi Capitals Overview

DC faces an uphill task in the absence of Pant. In Warner and Prithvi Shaw, DC has a solid opening batting pair, but the think-tank will be worried about the lack of a match-winner in the middle order. The onus will be on Mitchell Marsh and Rovman Powell to play the anchor role. DC fans will hope that uncapped Sarfaraz Khan will carry his domestic form into IPL.  

With Warner, Powell, and Marsh likely to feature in the playing 11, Anrich Nortje could be the lone overseas player in the bowling attack. The other pace options are Lungi Ngidi, Khaleel Ahmed, and Chetan Sakariya. Meanwhile, DC has two top spinners on their roster – Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Both players featured in the recently concluded India-Australia ODI series. 

LSG won both their matches against DC in the IPL 2022 edition. De Kock and Rahul hit a half-century each against the Delhi-based outfit last season. 

LSG & DC IPL 2022 Stats

We look at last year’s IPL stats of LSG and DC:

Top Run-scorer: KL Rahul – 616 runs (LSG); David Warner – 432 runs (DC)

Most Wickets: Avesh Khan – 18 wickets (LSG); Kuldeep Yadav – 21 wickets (DC)

Most Sixes: KL Rahul – 30 sixes (LSG); Rovman Powell – 22 sixes (DC)

Probable Best Batter & Bowler

Rahul and Bishnoi could clinch the most runs and wickets in the IPL 2023 match 3. 

An exciting match is on the cards when LSG hosts DC. Both teams won’t have their South African players for this fixture, as De Kock, Nortje, and Ngidi will only arrive after the ODIs against the Netherlands at home. With Pant unavailable and the absence of the South African duo in the opening game, LSG could start its IPL 2023 season with a win.