IPL 2025: Will Archer tame a red-hot Pooran during RR-LSG clash?

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 19 (ANI): During the upcoming Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) clash at Jaipur, the clash between Nicholas Pooran, the top run-getter in the tournament so far and Jofra Archer, the English pacer, slowly gaining his confidence and steam after a poor start, would be an exciting one to see.
RR, which has been struggling due to an underperforming Indian core so far and has managed just two wins in seven games so far, will be taking on Rishabh Pant-led LSG, who are placed at the fifth spot with four wins and three losses, giving them eight points.
Archer's recent resurgence, after registering the most expensive IPL returns in history (0/76 in four overs) during a high-scoring encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), has been a positive for the Men in Pink as he has been a crucial wicket-taking option. In seven matches so far, he has managed seven scalps at an average of 35.00, with best figures of 3/25.
Archer's last five bowling spells have been solid: 2/32 in four overs against Delhi Capitals (DC), 0/36 in four overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), 1/30 in four overs against Gujarat Titans (GT), 3/25 in four overs against Punjab Kings (PBKS) and 1/13 in three overs against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
He will have a big task on his hands to tame a red-hot Pooran, who has the Orange Cap for most runs currently, with 357 runs in seven matches at an average of 59.50 and a strike rate of over 208, with four fifties. His best score is 87*.
Pooran could very well be the best in T20s as of now, but he does not enjoy an upper hand against Archer, who has dismissed him thrice out of seven innings. Pooran has managed just 39 runs in 36 balls against the England pacer, at an average of 13.00 and a strike rate of just over 108.33. He has managed to score just three fours and three sixes against Archer.
Squads:
Lucknow Super Giants Squad: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, David Miller, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Shahbaz Ahmed, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Shamar Joseph, Manimaran Siddharth, Aryan Juyal, RS Hangargekar, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Akash Maharaj Singh, Mayank Yadav, Arshin Kulkarni
Rajasthan Royals Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (w/c), Riyan Parag, Nitish Rana, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Kumar Kartikeya, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Kunal Singh Rathore, Akash Madhwal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Ashok Sharma, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. (ANI)