The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) took on the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad in what was a crucial encounter for both teams regarding the playoffs.
The LSG once again went into the match without their star pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who was dropped from the side in their previous match, against Gujarat Titans.
Why is Naveen-ul-Haq not playing today vs SRH?
Quinton de Kock had replaced Naveen-ul-Haq in the XI in the previous match against Gujarat. Against SRH, LSG continued with de Kock as their fourth overseas player, alongside Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, and Nicholas Pooran as the other three overseas stars.
Some fans have conjured up conspiracy theories that this move could have been forced by LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka because of Naveen-ul-Haq’s fight with Virat Kohli in the RCB-LSG game earlier this season.
There was a big tussle between the RCB star, Virat Kohli, and LSG’s Afghanistan pacer, Naveen-ul-Haq, during that match. Naveen-ul-Haq was fined 50 percent of his match fees while Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, for being involved in an ugly brawl, were fined 100 percent of their match fees.
After the match, and the brawl, Kohli was also seen shaking hands with the LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka.
However, there is no such influence from the LSG owner in making this decision and it is all a tactical move by LSG. After KL Rahul got injured, they had to bring in an experienced, quality opener, so they roped in de Kock in the XI in place of Naveen.
In the absence of the injured Mark Wood, Naveen-ul-Haq had done well for LSG: in 4 bowling innings, he’s taken 7 wickets and maintained a brilliant economy of 6.12.
Against RCB, he’d taken 3/30. But it was when he came to bat, trying to win LSG the match, then he had a heated altercation with Virat Kohli. After the match as well, both had a go at each other.
Meanwhile, Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bat first against LSG.
Teams:
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya(c), Prerak Mankad, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Amit Mishra, Yash Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Avesh Khan
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Anmolpreet Singh, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram(c), Heinrich Klaasen(w), Glenn Phillips, Abdul Samad, T Natarajan, Mayank Markande, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Fazalhaq Farooqi
