Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant’s woeful form with the bat and Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer’s sublime touch have made Sunday’s mid-table clash an engrossing contest — one that could decisively shape the fortunes of either side as the IPL enters its business end.

Iyer’s understanding of game situations and his evolution as a captain, without compromising on his batting, have served PBKS well. In their last game, the PBKS captain struck his fourth half-century of the season, helping his side to a creditable fourth spot on the table with 13 points from 10 games.