LSG vs PBKS Pitch and Toss Report: Red soil or black soil will affect playing conditions

LSG bowlers. Whether fast bowlers win the match for their side or spin attack is more effective, will depend on whether there's black soil or red soil used at Ekana for the IPL clash between Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings on March 30, 2024. (Image via X @LucknowIPL)

Lucknow’s Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium will be the venue for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) clash on Saturday, 7.30 pm.

The teams have clashed thrice so far in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, and Lucknow has a slight edge - having won 2 and lost 1. In April 2023, a LSG vs PBKS contest at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali entered the list of the highest scoring matches in IPL history with an aggregate of 458 runs - LSG contributed 257 of those runs, thanks in part to Marcus Stoinis's 40-ball 72. PBKS gave a speedy chase, but were run out for 201.

This is the first LSG vs PBKS contest of IPL 2024 - as per the rules, the Lucknow franchise and Punjab franchise will meet at least once again this season in the league stages.

The IPL 2024 Match 11 between LSG and PBKS will unfold at Lucknow’s home venue. Naturally, the local side will not hold back any punches in this crucial tie, as they look to open their account on the IPL 2024 Points Table.

LSG vs PBKS at Ekana: Pitch conditions

Ekana Stadium has an interesting pitch story. The playing conditions here depend on the colour of the soil. If black soil is used, the pitch offers slow and low bounce, and it becomes more conducive for the spinners. Last season also Lucknow used the slow surface to slowly constrict the opposition’s run-scoring. On the other hand, if red soil is used, that means the pitch will offer assistance to bounce and the fast bowlers come into play.

It is expected that Lucknow will go for red soil in this match, and that would mean a good match-up between the two side’s pacers. But Lucknow’s bowling attack of Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan and Yash Thakur may pale in front of the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Sam Curran and Arshdeep Singh who will turn out for the Punjab Kings.

Seven matches have been played at Ekana so far. Out these, four have been won by the teams batting first, two by the teams chasing, while one game had no result. So, the team that wins the toss in tonight's LSG vs PBKS IPL 2024 Match 11 clash will likely opt to bat first.

As far as the toss goes, of the six result games, three have been won after winning the toss while three times the side losing the toss won the match.

Average scores on this ground are towards the lower side. While the average score is 152, the highest total made at Ekana is only 159. As the pitch doesn’t typically offer high totals, and if conditions stay the same, one may expect a low-scoring thriller at this venue.