Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) took on Delhi Capitals (DC) on Friday at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow in the 26th match of IPL 2024.
LSG went into the match full of confidence. They've won their last three matches, two of them at this venue. Their batting, led by KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis, is firing on all cylinders.
LSG also had more than enough options in their young bowling attack. Unfortunately, pacer Mayank Yadav won't be available for the match.
Delhi, meanwhile, are struggling at the bottom of the points table. From their five matches so far, they've managed just one win. DC's bowling attack has been a major concern as they have conceded runs at an alarming rate in their recent outings. Their campaign has also been hampered by injuries to key players such as Mitchell Marsh and Kuldeep Yadav.
Here are three key milestones that could be achieved in the LSG vs DC clash.
KL Rahul has the potential to hit 300 T20 sixes
One of the most elegant batsmen in recent times, KL Rahul is a batsman who could easily go hard from the start. However, he sometimes puts too much pressure on himself.
However, when he's on his game, Rahul is a menace to opposing teams. He has a stellar T20 record, having scored 7,192 runs at an average of 42.50. The LSG captain has hit 606 fours and 297 sixes.
The wicketkeeper-batsman is just three big hits away from becoming only the fifth Indian to hit 300 T20 sixes. Rohit Sharma (497), Virat Kohli (383), MS Dhoni (328) and Suresh Raina (325) are the other four Indians on the list.
Rishabh Pant could become the second-fastest Indian to reach 3,000 IPL runs
Rishabh Pant's return to competitive cricket has been an encouraging one so far. After his horrific car accident and surgery, Pant has shown a fighting spirit. After some rusty knocks, Pant has looked back to his best, scoring 153 runs at a strike rate of 154.5 so far.
This took Pant's IPL tally to 2,991 runs in 102 matches at an impressive strike rate of 148.28. The wicketkeeper-batsman is just nine runs short of the 3,000-run mark in the tournament.
If Pant scores those nine runs against Lucknow, he will not only become the first player to reach 3,000 runs for DC, but he will also become the second fastest Indian to reach the milestone after KL Rahul.
While Rahul reached the milestone in 80 innings, Suresh Raina did it in 103 innings. Pant will also play his 103rd IPL innings tonight against LSG.
David Warner could end up with the most 50-over scores in T20 history
The upcoming match offers David Warner a golden opportunity to make history. The hard-hitting left-hander is one of the game's all-time legends, having scored 12,223 runs at a strike rate of over 140 in the shortest format.
His T20 tally includes a staggering 110 fifty-plus scores, with 102 fifties and eight hundreds to his name. A further 50 runs will make him the player with the most 50-plus scores in T20 cricket history.
Warner is currently tied with Chris Gayle. Gayle also has 110 50-plus scores (88 fifties and 22 centuries).