Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants IPL 2023 Recap

Indian Premier LeagueResult

Lucknow Super Giants

128/7

BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow · Saturday, 22 April 2023

Gujarat Titans won by 7 runsPlayer of the match: MM Sharma

Match preview

Gujarat Titans edge Lucknow Super Giants by 7 runs at Ekana

Match overview

Gujarat Titans defended a below-par total to beat Lucknow Super Giants by 7 runs at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium on 22 April 2023. Gujarat posted 135/6 batting first, a score that looked insufficient for most of the evening. Lucknow's reply was 53 without loss after six overs and 106/2 at the halfway stage of the death phase. Then the wheels came off. Five wickets tumbled for 22 runs in the death overs, and Lucknow finished on 128/7. MM Sharma won the Player of the Match award for his contribution to that collapse.

The result was curious given the match context. Lucknow had done all the hard work to reach the final overs in a strong position, only to hand Gujarat a win they could have been forgiven for thinking was beyond them. It reinforced how quickly T20 momentum shifts, and how much death-overs bowling can override a match's earlier narrative.

Venue and conditions

Ekana has hosted 44 T20 matches with an average first-innings score of 177 runs. Gujarat's 135 was 42 runs below that average, which partly explains why Lucknow looked so comfortable for so long. The venue's average second-innings score is 157, suggesting chasing sides tend to come reasonably close even when they fall short.

The powerplay at Ekana averages 47 runs. Lucknow's 53 without loss in that phase was above the norm, which gave them a clear early advantage. The death overs typically produce around 40 runs here. Lucknow managed only 22 in that phase whilst losing 5 wickets, a stark collapse against the venue baseline. Teams winning the toss at Ekana field first 68 per cent of the time; Gujarat chose to bat despite that trend, a call that looked risky given how their innings developed. The ground's chase success rate of 53 per cent is marginal enough that either side can feel supported by the numbers.

How to watch

IPL fixtures are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, with live and on-demand streaming available through Sky Go and NOW TV. Matches typically start at 3:30pm or 7:30pm IST, which translates to late morning or early afternoon UK time depending on the time of year and daylight saving. Check the Sky Sports schedule for confirmed UK kickoff times before each fixture.

For fans without a Sky subscription, NOW TV's Day Membership offers access to Sky Sports channels on a short-term basis. Highlights are also available on the Sky Sports website and app following each match.

Recent form

Going into this match, Gujarat Titans had won 3 of their previous 5 fixtures, with defeats against Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders sandwiching wins over Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Chennai Super Kings. They were a side capable of beating the stronger teams in the competition but inconsistent against mid-table opposition.

Lucknow Super Giants came in with an identical 3-win record from their previous 5 matches, having beaten Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad whilst losing to Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings. Both sides were level on form heading into the fixture, which made the narrow margin of the result feel appropriate. The two teams meet next in a head-to-head that currently stands 5–3 in Gujarat's favour across 8 IPL meetings.

Talking points

What to look out for

5 angles

Headline angle

Death overs decided the match

Lucknow Super Giants needed 23 runs off the final overs but lost 5 wickets for just 22 runs in the death phase. That collapse, from a position of genuine contention, handed Gujarat Titans a 7-run victory. MM Sharma was named Player of the Match for his contribution to that late pressure.

Angle 02

LSG powerplay gave them hope they couldn't convert

Lucknow raced to 53 runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket, outpacing the venue's powerplay average of 47 runs. The platform looked more than adequate for a chase of 136. The middle overs bled only 2 wickets too, making the 5-wicket death collapse all the more damaging.

Angle 03

GT's 135/6 was below the venue average

Gujarat Titans posted 135/6, well short of Ekana's average first-innings score of 177 across 44 matches. The target looked chaseable for most of the Lucknow innings, which makes their late implosion harder to explain. Gujarat's 40-run powerplay was modest; their death overs (43 runs, 2 wickets) proved more significant.

Angle 04

GT lead the head-to-head 5–3 across 8 meetings

Gujarat Titans have now won 5 of the 8 meetings between these sides. Lucknow had won three of the four most recent encounters before this game, so Gujarat's victory here bucked a recent trend. This fixture has become one of the more competitive rivalries in the IPL.

Angle 05

Toss-winning side chose to bat at a chase-friendly ground

Gujarat Titans won the toss and elected to bat, despite Ekana's chase success rate sitting at 53 per cent across 44 matches. Teams fielding first have won here at a slight majority. The toss call looked questionable in hindsight, though Gujarat defended their modest total.

Context

Key insights

Historical · Not official

Venue par

130

Avg 1st innings score at Cricket Stadium

13 matches · 2019

Chase success

77%

Chases completed successfully at Cricket Stadium

13 matches · 2019

Head to head

5 — 3

Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants — 8 meetings

2022–2026

Powerplay

36/2.2

Average runs/wickets in overs 1–6 at Cricket Stadium

Gujarat Titans form

61%

Overall win rate — 64 matches 2022–2026

Recent: L · L · L · W · W

Historical aggregates derived from Cricsheet (cricsheet.org) under ODC-BY licence. 2001/02–2026 IPL seasons. For editorial context only — not official live match data, not a forecast, and not betting advice. Projections and comparisons above are frozen from the live state and may not match final statistics.

The rivalry

Who could decide it

Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants have met 8 times in total, with Gujarat leading 5 wins to 3. Lucknow had won three of the four most recent meetings before this April 2023 fixture, giving this result a measure of significance. The rivalry is relatively young but has already produced consistently competitive cricket.

Recent meetings

Last 5

2026: Gujarat Titans won by 7 wickets at Ekana, Lucknow
2025: Lucknow Super Giants won by 33 runs at Narendra Modi Stadium
2025: Lucknow Super Giants won by 6 wickets at Ekana, Lucknow
2024: Lucknow Super Giants won by 33 runs at Ekana, Lucknow
2023: Gujarat Titans won by 56 runs at Narendra Modi Stadium

Key player · Gujarat Titans

MM Sharma

Sharma was named Player of the Match for his performance in this fixture, the decisive contribution in Gujarat's 7-run victory. His role in the death overs proved critical as Lucknow's chase fell apart in the final phase.

Gujarat Titans

MA Wood

Wood has shown the capacity for explosive spells in IPL conditions, with figures of 5/14 from 4 overs earlier in the 2023 season. At a venue where death-over bowling proved decisive, his pace could be a significant factor in any meeting between these sides.

Career stats →

Lucknow Super Giants

Ishan Kishan

Kishan has demonstrated the ability to capitalise on powerplay conditions, scoring 94* off 48 balls in IPL 2025. At Ekana, where LSG's powerplay started promisingly at 53 without loss, an opener of his profile is central to how Lucknow build a chase.

Career stats →

Gujarat Titans

Mohammed Shami

Shami's ability to take wickets at key moments has been a consistent feature across formats, including figures of 4/22 in ODI cricket. In a match where Gujarat's bowling dismantled Lucknow's death-overs batting, his contribution to building pressure through the innings matters.

Career stats →

Lucknow Super Giants

Q de Kock

De Kock has the temperament to anchor a chase after a strong powerplay start. Given that Lucknow reached the middle overs on 53/0, an innings from someone of his experience could have seen the target home. His role at the top of the order remains central to LSG's batting plans.

Career stats →

Angles to watch

Analytical angles worth tracking

Observations from the venue data, recent form and historical trends. Editorial context, not betting advice.

Top batter markets may offer more value than outright result lines given how competitive this fixture has historically been, with margins often tight.
Death-overs performance has been decisive in recent GT vs LSG encounters; markets related to late-innings wickets or run-rate could reflect that pattern.
Ekana's average first-innings score of 177 sits well above what Gujarat posted here; total runs markets may be worth considering in light of how conditions can play differently night to night.
The toss has historically influenced team selection and strategy at this venue, with teams fielding first winning at a 68 per cent rate on the toss choice data.

For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.

Questions

Frequently asked

Gujarat Titans won by 7 runs. They posted 135/6 batting first and Lucknow Super Giants, despite a strong start, were bowled out for 128/7. MM Sharma was named Player of the Match.

Lucknow made an excellent start, reaching 53 without loss in the powerplay and 106/2 through the middle overs. However, they collapsed dramatically in the death, losing 5 wickets for just 22 runs to finish 7 runs short of their target of 136.

In 8 meetings, Gujarat Titans lead 5 wins to 3. Lucknow had won three of the four most recent matches before this April 2023 fixture, but Gujarat's victory here re-established their overall dominance in the rivalry.

IPL matches are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, with live streaming available via Sky Go and NOW TV. Check your Sky Sports schedule for the specific UK kickoff time, which typically falls in the afternoon given India's evening start times.

The BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium has hosted 44 T20 matches with an average first-innings score of 177. The ground has a chase success rate of 53 per cent and teams winning the toss choose to field 68 per cent of the time. Powerplay conditions tend to be favourable for batting, with an average of 47 runs in that phase.

Gujarat's 135/6 was well below Ekana's average first-innings score of 177, but their bowling performance in the death overs proved decisive. Lucknow lost 5 wickets for only 22 runs in the final phase of their chase, turning what looked a comfortable win into a 7-run defeat.

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