IPL 2024: Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings Best Bets

Match 34 of IPL 2024 will see Lucknow Super Giants welcome the defending champions Chennai Super Kings to Ekana Sports City on Friday. After an impressive start to the campaign, LSG will be looking to get back to winning ways after losing their two previous games. We’ve prepared the best bets to take for this contest.

Venue: Ekana Sports City

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Krunal Pandya has taken on more bowling duties as the team shifts from their previously all-rounder-heavy strategy. However, his recent performances have dipped, delivering just four overs in Lucknow’s last two games with figures of 0/59. Similarly, Arshad Khan has struggled, bowling five overs for 0/58, as the absences of key players like Mark Wood, Shivam Mavi, and Mayank Yadav weigh heavily.

Lucknow’s three-game home winning streak was snapped by Delhi Capitals, suggesting the loss wasn’t as unexpected, given Delhi’s subsequent strong performance against Gujarat. With only three wins from their last seven home games, and as one of the league’s slower-scoring teams at 8.70 RPO, the pressure is mounting.

On the other hand, Chennai recently secured their first away win of the season against Mumbai Indians, enhancing their record to 4/2, including three wins at Chepauk. They boast this season’s best bowling economy at 8.43 RPO, with standout contributions from Matheesha Pathirana, Tushar Deshpande, Ravindra Jadeja, and Maheesh Theekshana. Mustafizur Rahman continues to lead as the top wicket-taker, with extended availability boosting the team.

CSK’s recent lineup changes saw Ajinkya Rahane swapped for captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, with mixed results. Gaikwad, entering early in the innings, showed promising form, becoming the top scorer in their last two matches, revitalising his strike rate. Shivam Dube has also been impactful, with strong performances in recent away games and a solid record against Lucknow, indicating potential for continued success.

A determined Lucknow team will be eager to put their best foot forward, but Chennai have enough resources to mount more misery on the host. 

Prediction: Chennai Super Kings to win at 1.66.

Players to Watch: Deepak Hooda may not be seen for long if his history at Ekana Cricket Stadium is anything to go by. Hooda has a top score of just 17 from his seven innings in Lucknow at an average of 6.29. In Chennai’s first three away games of IPL 2024, MS Dhoni scored 58 runs from 22 balls without being dismissed. That matches up with his brief cameos against Lucknow, which total 28 runs from just nine balls faced.

Key Stats

Lucknow conceded the highest opening partnership in ten of their last 12 completed matches.

The average first innings IPL score in Lucknow is just 157 runs, though its three games in 2024 have produced an average of 176.

Lucknow conceded the most powerplay runs in ten of their last 11 completed games.

Krunal Pandya comes into this game with just 139 runs from ten innings against Chennai, including scores of 9 & 0 in his two innings for Lucknow.

KL Rahul scored four half-centuries from his last eight innings against Chennai at an average of 54.43 (20, 40, 98*, 5, 29, 63, 71, 55). 

Mustafizur Rahman failed to take a wicket in his first eight overs against Lucknow (0-63) but conceded just 7.88rpo.

Shardul Thakur took six wickets from his first three games against Lucknow at an average of just 16.00.

Nicholas Pooran averages 79 against Mustafizur Rahman and 51 against Ravindra Jadeja in all T20s, but Shardul Thakur has head-to-head figures of 5-34 from 18 balls.

Best Bets

Best Bet: CSK to score the most runs in the 1st 6 overs at 1.74.

Alternative Bet: KL Rahul to score over 26.5 runs at 1.86.

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