IPL 2023 PBKS vs LSG Preview

Key match stats

Pitch Stats IPL 2023 – IS Bindra Stadium

Average first innings score: 173
Average first innings winning score: 183
Average powerplay score: 53
Win % batting 1st vs batting 2nd: 67% / 33%

Team form PBKS vs LSG

PBKS: WLWLL
LSG: LWLWW

Recent meetings: PBKS won by 2 wickets

Preview PBKS vs LSG

A quick general note first to say that the 'Key match stats' section now includes pitch stats for games played in IPL 2023 (previously they were historical stats). After this season has finished, I'm planning to do some development to the site and include more details about stats over the last 10 matches at a specific venue which I feel hold more value than historic stats going back to 2008.

As we move to considering solely IPL 2023 pitch stats, it's also worth considering a trend that has emerged over the last couple of weeks where teams batting first are winning with far more regularity. I'm writing this blog in advance of the RR vs CSK match later today, but prior to that the side batting first has won the last 7 matches, with 11 of the last 13 games going to the same way.

There could be any number of reasons for this

• the pitches are beginning to wear and get harder to score on particularly later in the game
• the impact sub rule is helping to remove some of the previous imbalance that has historically seen chasing sides prosper
• there have been some poor efforts from chasing sides (RR against LSG, LSG against GT, SRH against DC spring to mind)
• the stronger team in most of the recent fixtures has batted first

I'd suggest that it's a combination of all of these factors (and potentially others) that is contributing towards the trend but certainly one to keep an eye and one I'm sure that all the franchises will be acutely aware of as we get towards the business end of the season.

Back to this match and I'm continually impressed with this Punjab Kings squad who have maintained a chance of reaching the playoffs despite injuries to so many key players. In fact, since the loss of Shikhar Dhawan PBKS have won 2 out of 3 and will fancy their chances again tonight against a side they defeated earlier in the season and who themselves have only 1 win from their last 3 games.

A lot of credit has to go to the work that Trevor Baylis has done with this relatively young and inexperienced squad. As an England supporter, I've seen first hand how the quiet Aussie works behind the scenes primarily helping to build player confidence and unleash their natural attacking game. In his final year at SRH it felt like he was being hamstrung by the appointment of Tom Moody to Director of Cricket role but now that he's been given significantly more autonomy in Punjab, the side is beginning to reap the benefits.

Still, Punjab will hope to have their captain and key top order batsman Shikhar Dhawan back from his shoulder injury. The update we had during the last match that the Kings played suggested he would be in contention for the game here in Mohali.

As for Lucknow, after strong start, they've faltered over the last couple of weeks with run scoring in particular becoming a problem. Having put in 4 commanding displays with the bat in their opening 4 games, they've now failed to pass 160 in any of their last 3 innings.

Part of that problem could be related to the pitches that they've played on and the IS Bindra hasn't been offering the huge runs that a couple of the other venues have. Punjab have comfortably defended scores of 191 and 174 here while Gujarat made pretty hard work of the 153 that they were asked to chase. All in all it suggests that anything around the 160+ mark will be difficult to beat.

PBKS vs LSG head to head

LSG bowling vs PBKS batting

Prabhsimran Singh could prove an important player in this game and indeed for Punjab going forward. The young right-hander has been a bit hit and miss this season with 4 good starts and 3 scores of 4 or less.

Prabhsimran Singh IPL 2023 powerplay stats

However, he's certainly not a player who misses opportunities to score early in his innings, only 4 players in the tournament have a better powerplay strike rate than him (min 30 balls faced) and if they can get Shikhar Dhawan fit again, you'd feel that he can play the ideal foil to the PBKS skipper who is tasked with batting deep.

Wickets taken in the powerplay IPL 2023

In fact, PBKS may fancy their chances more generally of setting a good platform in this game against an LSG side that is struggling to take wickets in the powerplay. That of course represents a significant drop-off from last season where Mohsin and Avesh Khan formed a formidable new ball partnership. This year Mohsin is injured while Avesh is wicketless in his 9 powerplay overs with an economy of 9.3!

PBKS bowling vs LSG batting

The big disappointment for LSG in recent matches has been their middle orders inability to kick on after a solid platform from the opening pair. Some critique will be levelled at the scoring rates of Kyle Mayers and in particular KL Rahul. LSG's average powerplay score this season of 47.3 is only higher than the bottom 2 sides in the table DC and SRH.

Average powerplay wickets lost and average powerplay run by franchise in IPL 2023

That being said, only CSK have lost fewer wickets in the powerplay and it seems the Super Giants tactics are pretty clear, lay the platform and let the middle order hitters do the damage. However, that so far isn't happening and in fact outside of the 2 openers, only 3 batsmen in the LSG line-up have passed 20 runs during their last 3 innings.

KL Rahul IPL batting record at the IS Bindra Stadium

Of course KL Rahul will hope that his return to Mohali where he enjoyed great personal success can silence a few of his recent critics.

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All stats used in this blog are from my own databases which are freely accessible below
IPL head to head player stats
IPL player stats by venue
IPL stadium statistics.
Images are my own with the exception of player profiles and highlights within GIFs which are not intended to infringe copyright- read full disclaimer. Background images are used under a creative commons license or otherwise royalty free.