3 player battles to watch out for in GT vs LSG, Match 64 of IPL 2025 ft. Avesh Khan 

The Gujarat Titans (GT) will face the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Thursday, May 22, in Match 64 of the IPL 2025. While Gujarat have already qualified for the playoffs, Lucknow failed to reach the top four.

The Shubman Gill-led GT have emerged as the team to beat this season. They sit at the top of the points table, with nine victories and three losses in 12 games. Rishabh Pant's LSG, on the other hand, have won five out of 12 matches and are seventh in the standings.

GT are coming into the contest following a clinical 10-wicket victory over the Delhi Capitals (DC), where they chased a 200-run target.

LSG failed to defend 206 runs against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their previous appearance. The defeat resulted in the side being eliminated from the race to the playoffs.

Lucknow are among the three teams that have trumped the in-form Gujarat in IPL 2025. Rishabh Pant and company clinched a six-wicket win over GT when the two sides squared off at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, on April 12.

On that note, let's look at the top three player battles to watch out for in the encounter.

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#3 Mohammed Siraj (GT) vs Rishabh Pant (LSG)

Mohammed Siraj has been among the top bowling performers for GT. The right-arm seamer has bagged 15 wickets across 12 outings at an economy rate of 9.02.

Pant, however, has had a dismal campaign so far and would look to redeem himself by delivering impactful knocks in his team's remaining two fixtures. Lucknow's record-shattering ₹27 crore signee has scored just 135 runs in 11 innings. He averages 12.27 and has a strike rate of 100.

While the swashbuckling batter will be keen to make amends, he could face a tough challenge in the form of Siraj. The fast bowler has had the upper hand over Pant in the past.

The LSG skipper has lost his wicket to Siraj four times in nine innings. He has scored 87 runs off 47 balls against the pacer at a strike rate of 185.10.

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#2 Kagiso Rabada (GT) vs Nicholas Pooran (LSG)

Nicholas Pooran has established himself as the lynchpin of Lucknow's batting lineup. The southpaw is his team's leading run-getter of the season, amassing 455 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 197.82.

While the 29-year-old has dominated the best of the bowlers in his career, he has had some trouble against South African pacer Kagiso Rabada. The fast bowler has claimed Pooran's wicket three times in six IPL innings.

The batter averages 10.66 against Rabada, having scored 32 runs off 25 balls. The contest between the two established players could be fascinating for the fans.

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#1 Shubman Gill (GT) vs Avesh Khan (LSG)

Gujarat captain Shubman Gill has led his team from the front. The opening batter has been in stunning form this season. He is the second-highest run-getter of IPL 2025, amassing 601 runs from 12 innings at a strike rate of 155.69.

Lucknow skipper Rishabh Pant could consider bringing in Avesh Khan against Gill. The pacer has dismissed the right-handed batter thrice in eight innings and has conceded 66 runs off 54 deliveries.

When GT and LSG locked horns in Lucknow earlier in the tournament, Gill scored 60 runs off 38 balls. It was Avesh who got his wicket. The batter was caught at long-on by Aiden Markram.