IPL 2022, LSG vs RR: Lucknow Super Giants look to seal playoff spot, top-two finish

Lucknow Super Giants mentor Gautam Gambhir was furious after the team lost to Gujarat Titans by 62 runs in their previous game. Chasing 145 to win, LSG batters folded up for 82. None of the batsmen provided a semblance of fight. In a post-match dressing room speech, Gambhir addressed the players and said, "There is nothing wrong in losing. It is absolutely fine. One team has to win; one team has to lose. But there is a lot wrong in giving up. Today I thought that we gave up and were weak. And honestly, there is no place for being weak in a tournament like the IPL or in sport." It was a jolt – both on the field and off it by Gambhir – that was required for the LSG boys. They were on a four-match winning streak and all seemed rosy. But in a highly-competitive tournament like the IPL no team can ever be complacent. There was a sense of complacency in the Lucknow batsmen after Gujarat were restricted to 144/4. Each batsman felt the following one would do the job. Now that the tournament has reached its business end, LSG can hardly afford any kind of laxity. A win against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday at the Brabourne Stadium would not only seal a playoff spot for Lucknow, but also ensure them a top-two finish. It will be a massive motivating factor for the KL Rahul-led team. Rajasthan, on the other hand, started the tournament brilliantly, notching up 6 wins (12 points) from their first eight games. It seemed their spot in the playoffs was a mere formality.

But they haven't progressed much thereafter. The Royals have lost three of their last four games and are now stuttering in the tournament. They have 14 points and need to win at least one match out of the two left to make it to the playoffs. Rajasthan's Jos Buttler and