IPL 2022, LSG vs PBKS: Childhood buddies KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal clash in Lucknow Super Giants-Punjab Kings tie

Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul will look to outsmart each other when Punjab Kings take the field against Lucknow Super Giants in their first ever Indian Premier League (IPL) meeting in Pune on Friday. Over the past couple of seasons, the duo have formed a formidable opening combo for the Punjab franchise before Rahul was signed by Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the 2022 IPL mega auction, leaving his best friend to lead the red and gold brigade under the guidance of another Karnataka superstar Anil Kumble.

Having played eight matches each, Punjab find themselves at the seventh spot with four wins while Lucknow are at fourth with five wins. Both teams walk into the game on the back of thrilling wins in their previous outings. The sub plot of the contest would certainly be the hot and cold form of the opening combinations on either side. After parting ways with Rahul, Punjab found a perfect replacement in Shikhar Dhawan. In Dhawan, Punjab not only can boast of a left-right combination with Mayank, but also a dependable batter, who has the ability to win matches single-handedly on his day.

Against Chennai Super Kings in their previous game, Dhawan smoked an unbeaten 88 to arrest a lean patch, besides becoming the second ever batter after Virat Kohli to amass 6,000 IPL runs. Punjab, however, will be a bit concerned with the form of Mayank, who has scored only 136 runs, with one half century in the seven matches this season. The return of Sri Lankan southpaw Bhanuka Rajapaksa in the No. 3 slot has bolstered Punjab's batting, and the top three will be expected to set the platform for power-hitters Liam Livingstone and Jonny Bairstow to explode on a batting paradise at the MCA Stadium, which has seen high-scoring contests.

Simila