IPL 2025, LSG vs RCB: Presenting key player battles
What's the story
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are preparing to meet Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the final league game of the 2025 IPL at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium on May 27.
The third-placed RCB has been handed a golden opportunity to finish in top two for the first time since 2016.
Meanwhile, LSG have been eliminated from the playoff race but will hope to spoil RCB's plans.
Here we decode the anticipated player battles.
#1
Josh Hazlewood vs Mitchell Marsh
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood's return has given RCB a much-needed boost.
With 18 wickets in 10 matches, he is the team's leading wicket-taker in the tournament, as per ESPNcricinfo.
His face-off with his Australian teammate Mitchell Marsh would be enticing in the powerplay.
The latter is fresh from a 117 versus Gujarat Titans and won't mind replicating his heroics.
While Hazlewood has claimed seven powerplay wickets this season (ER: 7.22), Marsh's strike rate in this phase is 156.42
#2
Virat Kohli vs Avesh Khan
RCB talisman Virat Kohli has been on a roll this season, scoring 548 runs from 12 matches at 60.88.
In the upcoming game, he might go up against LSG's pace spearhead Avesh Khan.
In their six IPL meetings, Kohli has had a high strike rate of 170.73 against Khan.
However, he has also fallen to him on two occasions.
#3
Nicholas Pooran vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Nicholas Pooran has smashed the most sixes this season (40) as his strike rate is also sensational (198.83).
Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar will have the onus to keep Pooran quiet.
Though the pacer has trapped Pooran twice across nine T20 meetings, the southpaw has a strike rate of 144 in this battle.
Notably, left-handed batters have been striking at 160-plus against Bhuvneshwar this season.