The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are set to face each other in the last group-stage clash of IPL 2025. The game becomes particularly important for RCB as a victory will see them go straight into Qualifier 1. However, they seem to be wrestling with selection issues as some key players are grappling with injuries.
A veteran Aussie bowler, Josh Hazlewood, missed RCB’s last two clashes against DC and CSK due to a hampering shoulder injury. When IPL got suspended due to some tension between India and Pakistan, Hazlewood, along with other injured players, left the side for home. After a period of rehab in Brisbane, he has joined the RCB squad in Lucknow just in time for the playoffs and probably will play tonight against LSG.
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With Hazlewood back, he should replace Lungi Ngidi, who took his place for the past two matches but has now departed to join the South Africa team for the World Test Championship final. Before injury, Hazlewood had taken 18 wickets in ten innings, so he now leads the pace attack along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal, while Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya will be the spinning options for this contest.
