Explainer: Here's how Lucknow Super Giants can finish in the top-two of the IPL 2023 points table

The race to the playoffs is getting intense in IPL 2023 with just three matches remaining in the league stage. Chennai Super Kings became the second team to qualify after Gujarat Titans as they beat Delhi Capitals by a margin of 77 runs. With their win, CSK have maintained their second spot on the points table having 17 points with eight wins and a draw from 14 matches and also have a net run rate of +0.652.

Lucknow Super Giants also have a great chance to qualify as they lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders in the second game of the day. The Krunal Pandya-led side is ranked third on the IPL points table having 15 points with seven wins and a no result from 13 matches and also have a net run rate of +0.304.

A win against KKR will result in smooth qualification for LSG without any hassle. However, if they end up losing the match, they will have to hope either MI or RCB lose their matches tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Lucknow also have a great chance of finishing in the top two positions and getting an added advantage of playing Qualifier 2 if they fail to win Qualifier 1. In order to get ahead of CSK on the points table, LSG need to win against KKR by 97 runs.

LSG are coming into the fixture on the back of a winning streak of two matches having beaten Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians in back-to-back matches. LSG have had a great season so far as overseas batters Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers and Nicholas Pooran have all been amongst the runs for them.

Stoinis is the leading run-scorer for Lucknow with 368 runs to his name at an average of 33.45 and a strike rate of 151.44. With the ball, Ravi Bishnoi is the leading wicket-taker for LSG with 14 scalps to his name from 12 innings at an average of 24.14 while Mark Wood has 11 wickets to his name. 

Meanwhile, after being put into bat first, LSG are 15/1 after three overs with Prerak Mankad (1 off 3) and Quinton de Kock (11 off 10) at the crease. Harshit Rana got the first strike for KKR dismissing Karan Sharma in the third over, getting him caught at mid-wicket.