The race for the playoffs is entering its business end and the teams still in contention cannot afford any slip-ups at this stage. Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants are two such sides and their match on Sunday, to be played in Dharamsala, should be a fiercely contested one.
But the weather is threatening to play spoilsport. Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh is Punjab’s second home venue. With 13 points from 10 games, the Shreyas Iyer-led side are one of the strong contenders for a playoffs berth. They play their next three games in Dharamsala, but forecast of rain and thunderstorms are threatening to interrupt their season’s first outing at the picturesque venue.
The stadium though reportedly has a new sub-air system that can dry the ground in 15-20 minutes after rain, allowing play to resume quickly.
If play is possible, Punjab will be the favourites to pocket full points. Their top order has been in good touch and the bowlers too have been doing decently. Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has turned his season around dramatically with 11 wickets in the last four matches and will play a key role.
Lucknow, on the other hand, have lost three of their last four games. Nicholas Pooran’s poor run with the bat of late has hurt them the most, though captain Rishabh Pant’s lacklustre batting has also been a constant concern.
