GT's second consecutive victory
Prince Yadav has determined that bowling the short ball into Washington Sundar's ribcage is the most effective technique to tackle him. Washington assists him over fine leg for six after swaying inside the line. He entered the game with the intention of playing shots, and his flick shot from behind square is quickly becoming his trademark. Washington finishes with a beautiful little cameo, scoring 21 off 13 to score the winning runs. With eight balls remaining, GT is home by seven wickets. |
| Prasidh rattled LSG's middle order |
Apr 12, 2026, 6:48 PM
Prince exacts his retribution
The GT skipper has been the most impressive pacer for LSG this season. Gill hit him with a rocket during his first spell, smashing his left thumb. He has now returned to take him out with a short ball that Gill gloves to Pant, but not before he has virtually secured the deal for GT.Apr 12, 2026, 6:37 PM
Buttler's unique century
Buttler has 100 half-centuries in Twenty20 cricket. As GT is sprinting in the direction of their aim, this one came off just 29 balls.Apr 12, 2026, 6:26 PM
Gill: 50 and up
completes 34 deliveries while on a GT cruise. Gill's attack against LSG's spin twins, Rathi and left-arm spinner George Linde, has seldom gone wrong. So far, this knock has been unmatched.Apr 12, 2026, 6:11 PM
A story of two overs and Rathi
Sudharsan hit a straight long hop to short fine leg. The ball gets large on him and ends up picking out Avesh Khan as he tries to turn around to help it. In the sixth over, GT reaches their fifty, but Buttler ends the powerplay by thumping him through the covers.In his second over, he may have got Buttler, but Rishabh Pant puts down the thick edge behind the stumps. How much will it cost? In the eighth over, GT 66/1. I have to admit that it was a regulation opportunity after watching the replays.
Apr 12, 2026, 5:54 PM
Shami: withdraw once more
2 0 4 6 4 4runs in for the fifth over without showing any signs of discomfort, but Gill picks him away for consecutive fours. A straight hit down the ground on the rise, followed by a delicious leg look. It's amazing to watch. GT is starting to accelerate.
Apr 12, 2026, 5:50 PM
Off the pitch, Shami
Shami grabs at his left side halfway through his second over and summons physiotherapist Patrick Farhart. He finishes the over, but he appears uncomfortable as he leaves. His numbers are 2-0-10-0.For LSG, it is not the main concern. Gill hits a straight back at Prince Yadav in the fourth over, and during his follow-through, Yadav sustains a hard strike close to his left thumb. Farhart returns to tend to him right away.
GT has started steadily despite the worries, scoring 25/0 after four overs.
Apr 12, 2026, 5:12 PM
Gill vs Shami
Gill's strike rate against Shami was 143. Despite being dismissed twice, he had already hit him for 76 off 53 deliveries. Keep an eye out for this contest. India's Test and ODI captain is up against a bowler who wants to make an impression.B Sai Sudharsan, meanwhile, gives GT a fantastic start by crashing Shami with extra cover on the second delivery. A solid opening over ends with a repetition off the final ball three dots later.
Apr 12, 2026, 5:07 PM
Prasidh receives a fourth
However, you know what?It's another short ball that works. When Mukul Choudhary tries to pull a slower bumper, Buttler takes it deep behind the stumps, giving him a large, fat edge. Although it wasn't Mukul's afternoon, he quietly helped LSG get close to 150 with 18 off 14.
Apr 12, 2026, 4:50 PM
Mukul is given a life
On the third ball, he ought to have been run out. Ashok Sharma had all three stumps to aim at, but he had given up and missed a direct smash at the striker's end. Mukul top-edges a draw over the keeper's head for four after one ball.Ashok then begins his final over with a 150.2kph bumper that strikes Mukul in the head; only time will tell if this is a deliberate effort by GT. His concussion has been ruled out. Ashok uses the same strategy after digging one in, and on the subsequent delivery, Samad pulls to the lone man at deep midwicket.
In the 17th over, LSG 118/6
Apr 12, 2026, 4:40 PM
Pooran's arduous stay concludes
Twelve of his 19 off 21 came from two sixes off Rashid Khan. There were fleeting moments of flow, but it's obvious that the quest for confidence and rhythm is still ongoing. The conclusion is relatively mild: Gill intercepts Prasidh's effort at a flat-batted hit at mid-off. The 15th is LSG 109/5.Apr 12, 2026, 4:06 PM
Markram is unlucky for the second time
He was born early. After covering excellent ground at deep midwicket, Markram's flip should have been collected, but Glenn Phillips saw the ball fly out as his elbow struck the ground. However, there is no way out after three balls. Once more, Markram chases a short ball from Prasidh, but this time he expertly finds deep midwicket. And it soon becomes a pattern that is uncannily similar. As LSG drops to 74/4 in the ninth over, Badoni collapses in nearly the same way in Prasidh's very next over.Apr 12, 2026, 3:51 PM
Siraj hits!
He continues to ask questions while maintaining a firm length well into his third over, extracting both lift and seam movement. The ball climbs, catches the splice, and lobs up towards mid-off, where Tewatia steadies himself under it and completes a wonderful catch, but Rishabh Pant chooses to take him on. LSG drops to 45/2 in the fifth, and Pant leaves for 18.Apr 12, 2026, 3:35 PM
Greetings, Kagiso
6 4 W 4 1 4Mitch Marsh quickly switches gears after Siraj's probing opening over, in which he twice beat Aiden Markram outside off, and smashes Rabada straight back over long-on for six. Rabada drags his length back in response, but Marsh avoids a fright as a thick inside edge flies past the leg stump for four. Rabada has the last word after the third delivery. Marsh toe-ends the loft all the way to mid-off, mistiming it. After there, there are two additional boundaries.
An over with a little bit of everything.
Apr 12, 2026, 2:58 PM
Preparing for Sunday's doubleheader
The Gujarat Titans decided to bowl against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium, and Shubman Gill made the right selection. There is no change on either side.While LSG defeated Kolkata Knight Riders because to an incredible half-century from youngster Mukul Choudhary, Titans defeated Delhi Capitals in a thrilling last-ball match.
Gill thought the Titans could build on their first victory in three games.
"We always talk about consistency," he remarked. It is the most crucial factor. The circumstances we found ourselves in in the first two games were really close. We are somewhat relieved that we scored two points in the last game. I want to get better at cricket.
Setting a goal didn't bother Pant. He believed that "batting or bowling first won't matter" given the state of the pitches.
He was especially thrilled with LSG's resilience in winning two straight games after losing to the Delhi Capitals to start the season.
"Every victory matters to us; it's fantastic." If you win that way, it demonstrates the team's character," he remarked. "Coming in after a victory is a huge boost, but this is a different game. Conditions and wickets can differ.
"It was great to see us put our bodies on the line [in Kolkata]. We talked about intent on the pitch."
The XIs
Lucknow Super Giants: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 4 Ayush Badoni, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Mukul Choudhary, 8 Mohammed Shami, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Prince Yadav, 11 Digvesh Rathi
Impact bench: M Siddharth, George Linde, Shahbaz Ahmad, Mayank Yadav, Matthew Breetzke
Gujarat Titans: 1 B Sai Sudharsan, 2 Shubman Gill (capt), 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Washington Sundar, 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Ashok Sharma, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Mohammed Siraj
Impact bench: Shahrukh Khan, Manav Suthar, Jason Holder, Kulwant Kejroliya, Anuj Rawat
Apr 12, 2026, 2:49 PM
His numbers versus Avesh Khan, however, make the match more intriguing. Gill has only scored at 124.56 against Avesh, who has removed him four times in nine innings. Will that be a key contest today?
Apr 12, 2026, 1:48 PM
Although this will be Linde's first IPL season, he has participated in the PSL, SA20, Hundred, and Major League Cricket over the past 12 months. He has taken 218 wickets at an economy rate of 7.42 in 250 Twenty20 matches. He has amassed 2746 runs with a strike rate of 136.68 and an average of 19.47.
Apr 12, 2026, 1:19 PM
Nicholas Pooran has struggled to score runs. In ten of his previous eleven Twenty20 matches, he has not scored more than 17. This streak began with the SA20, continued with no cricket in February and March, and continued through the first three IPL 2026 matches. He has averaged 7.33 in three IPL games. He is difficult to drop because to his dynamic batting, but how much time will LSG allow him?
Apr 12, 2026, 12:50 PM
Gujarat Titans XII: 1 B Sai Sudharsan, 2 Shubman Gill (capt), 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Washington Sundar, 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Shahrukh Khan/Kumar Kushagra, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Ashok Sharma, 11 Prasidh Krishna, 12 Mohammed Siraj
The lack of a dependable all-rounder in their top eight—Mitchell Marsh hasn't bowled in the IPL in the last two seasons—leaves LSG's batting somewhat light with Mohammed Shami at number eight. Wanindu Hasaranga has been replaced in the team by South African left-arm spinner George Linde, whose expertise could strengthen their spin bowling while expanding the batting a little bit if he is selected for the XII. In that scenario, M Siddharth might lose out.
Lucknow Super Giants XII: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 4 Ayush Badoni, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Mukul Choudhary, 8 Mohammed Shami, 9 George Linde, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Prince Yadav, 12 Digvesh Rathi
Apr 12, 2026, 11:48 AM
But the truth might be obscured by the same adrenaline. In actuality, both victories were close victories following far from ideal performances. Ironing out creases is still necessary. Despite being consistent, GT's batting is still stuck in fourth or fifth gear. This could be because Mohammed Siraj lacks incisiveness during the powerplay and the middle and lower middle order are undercooked. While Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, and Siraj haven't had the effect GT would like to see, Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar, and Rashid Khan are gradually improving.
Rishabh Pant's batting has been a bit of a problem for LSG; short-ball tactics have kept him quiet, but he has shown enough tenacity to overcome it and improve pace chases. However, his fluency is still lacking, as Nicholas Pooran struggled in 2026. Even though Ayush Badoni and Mukul Choudhary appear to be in excellent form further down, the batting is not creating the dread that LSG expected when they assembled their lineup.
This makes this meeting a worthwhile checkpoint. A squad can only go so far with the rush of last-ball victories. This game will reveal which team is genuinely in sync and which has only been somewhat better.
"We always talk about consistency," he remarked. It is the most crucial factor. The circumstances we found ourselves in in the first two games were really close. We are somewhat relieved that we scored two points in the last game. I want to get better at cricket.
Setting a goal didn't bother Pant. He believed that "batting or bowling first won't matter" given the state of the pitches.
He was especially thrilled with LSG's resilience in winning two straight games after losing to the Delhi Capitals to start the season.
"Every victory matters to us; it's fantastic." If you win that way, it demonstrates the team's character," he remarked. "Coming in after a victory is a huge boost, but this is a different game. Conditions and wickets can differ.
"It was great to see us put our bodies on the line [in Kolkata]. We talked about intent on the pitch."
The XIs
Lucknow Super Giants: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 4 Ayush Badoni, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Mukul Choudhary, 8 Mohammed Shami, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Prince Yadav, 11 Digvesh Rathi
Impact bench: M Siddharth, George Linde, Shahbaz Ahmad, Mayank Yadav, Matthew Breetzke
Gujarat Titans: 1 B Sai Sudharsan, 2 Shubman Gill (capt), 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Washington Sundar, 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Ashok Sharma, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Mohammed Siraj
Impact bench: Shahrukh Khan, Manav Suthar, Jason Holder, Kulwant Kejroliya, Anuj Rawat
Apr 12, 2026, 2:49 PM
Gill versus the quicks of LSG
How will Shubman Gill perform against the quick bowlers of LSG? With Gill striking at 143.49 against Shami and the seamer dismissing him just twice in seven innings, he has a solid record against the seamer.His numbers versus Avesh Khan, however, make the match more intriguing. Gill has only scored at 124.56 against Avesh, who has removed him four times in nine innings. Will that be a key contest today?
Apr 12, 2026, 1:48 PM
Will Linde be given a game right away?
George Linde, an all-rounder from South Africa, has taken Wanindu Hasaranga's spot at LSG for IPL 2026, in case you missed the announcement a few days ago. At his base price of INR 1 crore, Linde, a left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder, joins LSG. He has represented South Africa in 37 T20Is, four ODIs, and three Tests.Although this will be Linde's first IPL season, he has participated in the PSL, SA20, Hundred, and Major League Cricket over the past 12 months. He has taken 218 wickets at an economy rate of 7.42 in 250 Twenty20 matches. He has amassed 2746 runs with a strike rate of 136.68 and an average of 19.47.
Apr 12, 2026, 1:19 PM
In the limelight
Mohammed Siraj is expected to be GT's go-to powerplay bowler, much as he was for RCB. His only two wickets of the season came in the 17th and 20th overs in the two games against DC and Rajasthan Royals, respectively, and he had two wicketless overs against Punjab Kings (he did not bowl any more that day). Against RR and DC, he also gave up 100 in eight overs. When will he get his first IPL 2026 powerplay wicket?Nicholas Pooran has struggled to score runs. In ten of his previous eleven Twenty20 matches, he has not scored more than 17. This streak began with the SA20, continued with no cricket in February and March, and continued through the first three IPL 2026 matches. He has averaged 7.33 in three IPL games. He is difficult to drop because to his dynamic batting, but how much time will LSG allow him?
Apr 12, 2026, 12:50 PM
Will Holder be able to peer in?
Washington Sundar is utilised occasionally based on match-ups, but GT is at ease fielding five bowlers. The squad prefers consistency in their starting lineups, and seamer Ashok Sharma might maintain his spot in the XII. However, Kushagra or Holder would be alluring choices.Gujarat Titans XII: 1 B Sai Sudharsan, 2 Shubman Gill (capt), 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Washington Sundar, 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Shahrukh Khan/Kumar Kushagra, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Ashok Sharma, 11 Prasidh Krishna, 12 Mohammed Siraj
The lack of a dependable all-rounder in their top eight—Mitchell Marsh hasn't bowled in the IPL in the last two seasons—leaves LSG's batting somewhat light with Mohammed Shami at number eight. Wanindu Hasaranga has been replaced in the team by South African left-arm spinner George Linde, whose expertise could strengthen their spin bowling while expanding the batting a little bit if he is selected for the XII. In that scenario, M Siddharth might lose out.
Lucknow Super Giants XII: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 4 Ayush Badoni, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Mukul Choudhary, 8 Mohammed Shami, 9 George Linde, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Prince Yadav, 12 Digvesh Rathi
Apr 12, 2026, 11:48 AM
Which team has a rhythm?
After winning thrilling final-ball matches over Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, respectively, the Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans square off. Those are the evenings that can positively impact the remainder of their campaign in a tournament that moves quickly and leaves little time for introspection.But the truth might be obscured by the same adrenaline. In actuality, both victories were close victories following far from ideal performances. Ironing out creases is still necessary. Despite being consistent, GT's batting is still stuck in fourth or fifth gear. This could be because Mohammed Siraj lacks incisiveness during the powerplay and the middle and lower middle order are undercooked. While Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, and Siraj haven't had the effect GT would like to see, Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar, and Rashid Khan are gradually improving.
Rishabh Pant's batting has been a bit of a problem for LSG; short-ball tactics have kept him quiet, but he has shown enough tenacity to overcome it and improve pace chases. However, his fluency is still lacking, as Nicholas Pooran struggled in 2026. Even though Ayush Badoni and Mukul Choudhary appear to be in excellent form further down, the batting is not creating the dread that LSG expected when they assembled their lineup.
This makes this meeting a worthwhile checkpoint. A squad can only go so far with the rush of last-ball victories. This game will reveal which team is genuinely in sync and which has only been somewhat better.
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