IPL 2023: 3 surprise picks for Dream11 fantasy team for LSG vs MI match
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Mumbai Indians (MI) face off in the 63rd match of IPL 2023 on Tuesday, May 16, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
This is a crucial match in terms of the qualification scenario for both teams, with a win taking them very close to sealing qualification for the playoffs. Both sides recorded important wins in their respective last games against the Gujarat Titans and the SunRisers Hyderabad, although MI could've had a better margin of victory.
Both teams' strength is the firepower in their batting, and it'll be interesting to see how they'll fare on a bowler-friendly surface. On that note, let's look at three surprise picks for LSG-MI Dream11 contests.
#3 Kumar Karthikeya (MI)
MI's uncapped spinner Kumar Karthikeya had a good game against the Gujarat Titans, picking up two wickets before he was taken to the cleaners by Rashid Khan in his last over.
The left-arm spinner has shown pretty good control, acting as a foil for Piyush Chawla and giving skipper Rohit Sharma another option to play with.
Chawla has been MI's main wicket-taking threat, and if LSG looks to safely play him out, Karthikeya is the bowler they will look to attack, and that gives him the opportunity to add to his wicket tally.
Both the dimensions of the ground and the condition of the wicket make it hard for batters to take spinners on at this venue, and Karthikeya could be a smart Dream11 differential.
#2 Nehal Wadhera (MI)
While it was Tilak Varma who started the season off with a bang for MI, Nehal Wadhera has stolen the show for the five-time champions in recent games, emerging as yet another incredible find by the five-time champions.
He has scored 198 runs in seven innings at a stellar strike rate of 151.14 and has arguably been the best player of spin in the side.
On what should be a sluggish track, Wadhera could merry batting alongside the in-form Suryakumar Yadav and be a major source of runs for MI. While the reason for his low ownership could be that he's an uncapped player, this is another good opportunity for Dream11 players to steal a march on their rivals.
#1 Amit Mishra (LSG)
This has been the season for IPL veterans, and while all eyes have been on Piyush Chawla, Amit Mishra has also stepped up to the plate and quietly performed for LSG.
His wicket tally isn't the most impressive, with only seven wickets in seven games, but on a Lucknow track that would've definitely slowed down, he is a major threat to the MI batting lineup.
Mishra isn't afraid to toss the ball up and entice the batters into taking him on, and given the aggressive mode in which MI bats, it shouldn't be a surprise if a couple of their batters perish taking him on. He also has a good record against the MI openers so he could also be given an over in the powerplay.
On this surface, Mishra is a genuine wicket-taking threat and is a good Dream11 differential.