As it stands there are five sides currently level at the top of the table with 10 points. LSG and DC are two of those sides.
Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | IPL 2025 Game 40 | Tuesday 22 April | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | 4pm
Officially they are fifth and second (based on run rate), but this is very much a top-of-the-table clash.
The Capitals have won each of their last three clashes against LSG, including a narrow one wicket win earlier this season.
LSG’s Nicholas Pooran remains the leading run scorer of IPL 2025, but his form has taken a bit of a dip in recent games. His last two games have seen him post scores of just 11 and eight.
Despite that he is still averaging 52.57 from his eight innings to date. Pooran is also third on the strike-rate list at 205.58. The top batting strike-rate is filled by Pooran’s LSG teammate Abdul Samad who is going at 222.0 after seven innings.
On the bowling front the Capitals’ Kuldeep Yadav is the second highest wicket-taker. He has bagged 12 wickets at an average of 14.58. He also boasts the tournament’s second-best economy rate going at only 6.25 per over.
Proteas batsman Tristan Stubbs is currently averaging 61 runs per innings. Deployed in the middle-order Stubbs has been used to great effect as the finisher for the Capitals.
Venue: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
No batsman has ever reached three figures at the ground in IPL. The highest IPL score at the Ekana Cricket Stadium was 89* made by Marcus Stoinis against the Mumbai Indians.
There is no real advantage at the ground between batting first or second with results shared almost evenly between sides setting (eight wins) and sides chasing (nine wins).
The Ekana Cricket Stadium pitch has been very good this season. In previous years it was very bowler friendly but 2025 has seen it dishing up a series of very fair contests between bat and ball.
The par score batting first at Ekana is 169 runs.
Weather:
There is an excessive heat warning for Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday with temperatures set to soar close to the 40-degree mark.
Temperatures will still be well into the thirties by the time the game starts. Wind will be gentle; the breeze will be slight and there is no rain predicted.
Form (most recent game first):
Lucknow Super Giants: W, L, W, W, W.
Delhi capitals: L, W, L, W, W.
Key player:
Lucknow Super Giants, Rishabh Pant: This is a big game for Pant as he matches up against his rival for the gloves in the Indian National team, KL Rahul. Pant and Rahul are both outstanding wicketkeeper-batsmen.
Pant had a slow start to IPL 2025, but he has been coming good and has managed some decent scores in recent games. There is nothing that brings out the best in a player like a personal duel and Pant will want to bring everything to show that he is deserving of the gloves in the Indian side. If Pant comes to the wicket with a platform to launch from, he could do some serious damage.
Delhi Capital, KL Rahul: Pant’s rival and another excellent wicketkeeper-batsman. Rahul has been in significantly better form than Pant in IPL 2025 and he heads into Tuesday’s game averaging 53.20 per knock. Coming in at three Rahul has been striking the ball sweetly and is a good bet to top-score for the Capitals on Tuesday.
Verdict: Lucknow Super Giants
The LSG top four are simply outstanding. Openers Mitch Marsh and Aiden Markram have both been amongst the runs this season and with Pooran at three and Pant at four there is nearly always one of the top four scoring big runs and scoring them fast.
They are playing at home, and they are in great form. They will also be out for revenge after the Capitals beat them narrowly earlier in the competition, coming back from a seemingly unwinnable position to claim a one wicket win with three balls to spare.
