Match 70 of the 2025 Indian Premier League season brings us a clash between the Lucknow Super Giants and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on May 27.
For the game, here are our preview and predictions.
It’s the final league game of the season, and the stakes are still high, as the winning side here will book a spot in the top two and give themselves two cracks at making the final.
RCB’s four-game win streak came to a halt after their home game against the Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out. Then it came to an end when they suffered a shock loss to the SunRisers Hyderabad, a game in which they showcased their infamous vintage “choke”.
RCB’s batting has been top-heavy once again this season, but their bowlers have stepped up. Veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been leading the charge, and alongside him Australian quick Josh Hazlewood has been in top form. Krunal Pandya has been the biggest difference-maker with his spin. Stellar with the new ball, he has been coming in the middle overs to stop the scoring or at the death, stepping up whenever needed. Hazlewood has recovered from a shoulder injury, and the team will hope he returns to form soon enough as well.
On the other hand, LSG arrested their freefall with a win over the Delhi Capitals last time out, stopping a four-game losing streak. Like RCB, they have been dependent on their top three batters—Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran—for the majority of the runs.
It’s the bowling that has been LSG’s biggest issue. A weak lineup with little international experience has seen them leak runs regularly. Even after scoring 235 in their last game, they could only manage a 33-run win. Rishabh Pant will hope his bowlers step up to finish the season on a high.
Coming into this game, while it’s a chance for LSG to finish a disappointing season on a positive note, there’s plenty at stake for RCB. At Lucknow, there have been plenty of runs with little assistance for the slower bowlers, so we back Bengaluru to win this encounter and head into the playoffs with an extra chip and some crucial momentum.
Fantasy XI: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Virat Kohli, Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Agarwal, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Digvesh Rathi, Yash Dayal
Venue: Ekana Stadium, Lucknow
Winners Prediction: Royal Challengers Bengaluru
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