3 player battles to watch out for in LSG vs SRH, Match 61 of IPL 2025 ft. Nicholas Pooran

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will lock horns with the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 61st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday, May 19. A defeat tonight will end LSG's campaign.

Lucknow have struggled this season, mainly because of inconsistencies. They are winless in their last three fixtures and currently occupy seventh position in the table with 10 points. They have won five and lost six out of 11 matches. Lucknow must win all of their remaining group games to have a chance of making it to the playoffs.

SRH, on the other hand, have already been eliminated from this year's tournament. They have struggled to put together a complete performance and are languishing in the bottom half of the standings (eighth) with only seven points from 11 games. The SunRisers will look to start fresh and spoil LSG's party with a win tonight.

With both sides boasting a few in-form players, some gripping duels are on the cards. We take a look at three player battles to watch out for.

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#1 Mitchell Marsh vs Pat Cummins

It will be two Australians going up against each other at the Ekana Cricket Stadium tonight. Mitchell Marsh has been a force to reckon with for LSG at the top of the order. However, Pat Cummins, who has looked good with the new ball, will likely challenge him in the first six overs.

Marsh has scored 24 runs off 14 deliveries against Cummins in T20s, while getting out only once. With two experienced players facing each other, this duel might shape the outcome of the encounter.

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#2 Heinrich Klaasen vs Digvesh Rathi

The South African wicketkeeper-batter has been an intent merchant in the middle overs, scoring runs at a quick pace. SRH will rely on him to shoulder the responsibility of giving the side a good finish.

LSG skipper Rishabh Pant will look to hand the ball to leg spinner Digvesh Rathi to stop Heinrich Klaasen. Rathi has a dot percentage of 33.3 in overs between seven and 15 and has picked up six wickets.

With two match-winners trying to overpower each other, it will be an enticing duel to watch.

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#3 Nicholas Pooran vs Harshal Patel

The West Indian hard-hitter got off to a blazing start to IPL 2025, hitting back-to-back fifties. Although his form has dwindled since then, Nicholas Pooran worked hard during the break.

The left-handed batter will come up against Harshal Patel, who operates in the second half of the innings for SRH. Harshal, the highest wicket-taker (24) in IPL 2024, is known to bamboozle batters with his slower deliveries.

Thus, it will be exciting to see how Pooran goes about his business against Harshal, who likes to take the pace off the ball. The LSG cricketer has dominated Harshal so far, scoring 79 runs off 49 deliveries at a strike rate close to 180.