IPL 2024: 3 milestones that could be reached in tonight's LSG vs GT fixture
In what could be an exciting battle, Gujarat Titans (GT) will be up against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). It will be the evening game of Sunday's (April 7) double-header and will be played at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
After losing their first match of the tournament, Lucknow have found their momentum. They have won their last two games and Mayank Yadav has had a major role to play in those wins. The bustling pacer has hurried all the batters and it would be interesting to see how he fares against GT.
Gujarat, meanwhile, have had a start-stop season thus far. They've shown glimpses of brilliance, with Shubman Gill leading the charge with the bat. However, inconsistency has been there for them as well. The Titans are currently seventh on the table with four points.
Before tonight's game kickstarts, here are three crucial milestones that could possibly be reached in the LSG vs GT clash.
#3 Quinton de Kock will be playing his 100th IPL game
Quinton de Kock has been on a roll in the last two games. He first made a half-century against Punjab Kings (PBKS) before hammering 81 against his former franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He also breached the 3000-run mark in his previous outing.
On Sunday, however, the match against GT will mark De Kock's 100th game in IPL history and he will become only the fourth South African to achieve the feat. In his 99-match long career so far, the southpaw has hit 3,046 runs at an average of 32.75.
The 31-year-old has represented the likes of Delhi Capitals (DC), Mumbai Indians (MI), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), RCB and LSG in the IPL thus far.
#2 KL Rahul could become the first player to score 1,000 runs for LSG
IPL 2024 hasn't seen the best of KL Rahul thus far. However, the LSG skipper would be looking to make amends tonight, where he will also get a chance to create a significant milestone.
With 983 runs at an average of 42.73 in 27 innings, Rahul is the highest run-getter for Lucknow. He is also just 17 runs short of completing the landmark of 1,000 runs for the franchise.
The 31-year-old is also just three sixes away in completing 300 maximums in the shortest format of the game.
#1 Shubman Gill could become the third-fastest Indian to complete 4,000 runs in T20s
Shubman Gill finally hit his first half-century of this season when he clubbed a wonderful 89* against PBKS. The GT skipper would love to follow his last innings with another stellar performance against LSG.
After starting his career as a middle-order batter with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Gill found his mojo and has done phenomenally well ever since he has been opening the batting in T20s.
So far, the GT skipper has played 130 T20 matches in which he has accumulated 3,966 runs at an average of 36.72 and a strike rate of nearly 137. Gill is only 34 runs short of completing his 4,000 runs in T20s. If the flamboyant batter goes on to score those 34 runs tonight, he will become the third-fastest Indian to achieve the landmark.
Ruturaj Gaikwad (116) and KL Rahul (117) are the two fastest Indians to score 4000 runs in T20s. Gill, meanwhile, will be featuring in his 128th T20 innings against Lucknow.