Pooran-Marsh challenge awaits RCB during LSG clash in IPL 2025 final league match

LUCKNOW(Uttar Pradesh): As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) takes on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a crucial final league stage match of the Indian Premier League (IPL), they will be tackling their in-form, hard-hitting top order which has displayed immense consistency and attacking intent this season.

RCB, currently third at the points table with 17 points, will have a chance to seal their top two finish if they defeat LSG at Ekana Stadium on Tuesday.

However, waiting for them is the duo of Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran, who have been the biggest positives for the hosts, along with opener Aiden Markram, in what has been a mixed bag season. Markram will not be playing this match due to his ICC World Test Championship final commitments with South Africa.

Marsh and Markram, LSG’s opening pair, have scored 574 runs together as a partnership. A massive 218-run partnership, though unlikely, could help them go past the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pair of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow (791 runs in 2019) for the highest number of runs scored by an overseas pair in an IPL edition.

Marsh, Markram and Pooran have 16 fifty-plus scores between them, with Marsh having a century and five fifties, Markram having made five fifties, and Pooran having made five half-centuries.

So far this season, Marsh has been the franchise’s top run-getter and overall fourth, with 560 runs in 12 innings at an average of 46.66, strike rate of 161.84, with a century and five fifties. His best score is 117.

Pooran is the team’s second-highest run-getter with 511 runs in 13 innings at an average of 46.45 and a strike rate of almost 199, with five half-centuries and the best score of 87*. He is the 10th-highest run-getter this season.

At the 13th spot in the 2025 chart is Markram, with 445 runs in 13 innings at an average of 34.23, with a strike rate of 148.82. He has made five fifties, with the best score of 66.

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Blessing Muzarabani

Lucknow Super Giants Squad: Mitchell Marsh, Aryan Juyal, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, William ORourke, Akash Maharaj Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Manimaran Siddharth, David Miller, Arshin Kulkarni, Shardul Thakur, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Matthew Breetzke, RS Hangargekar, Yuvraj Chaudhary. (ANI)