Lions vs Titans, CSAT20, Today Match Prediction 27 October 2024

LNS vs TIT Match Prediction & Analysis

The Lions will face the Titans for the third time in the CSA T20 Challenge 2024, as both teams will compete in the Final at The Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Lions kicked off their CSA T20 Challenge campaign with a huge loss against the Titans at the same venue. They settled the scores in Qualifier 1 by defeating the Titans by 7 wickets, again at The Wanderers.

The Titans quickly bounced back from that loss as they posted 182-run total in their next outing against Western Province at the same venue. They defended the total quite comfortably, winning the match by 19 runs to reach the Final.

As the two teams meet again in the Final, the Lions and Titans will back their bowlers to put them on the top. Bowlers have enjoyed the upper hand on this ground in recent matches.

It will be quite challenging to score big on this wicket whether batting first or second. Rivaldo Moonsamy and Heinrich Klaasen will be key players for the Titans while Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen will lead the Lions’ batting effort.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Lions Preview

The Lions are coming into the Final with back-to-back wins. Bjorn Fortuin is leading a strong overall side that features two of South Africa’s star batters in the top 4.

The Lions have won 6 of the 8 matches this season. Zubayr Hamza, Reeza Hendricks, and Rassie van der Dussen form a strong top order. Dussen is in fine touch and will be one to watch out for.

The number 4 batter Connor Estherhuizen who was out for a duck in the last match against Titans is another key player in the middle order. He scored a brilliant 62 not out off 39 balls against North West right before the Qualifier 1.

However, the biggest strength of the Lions lies in their bowling attack. There is great variety in the bowling department, and their key bowlers have been consistent.

Lutho Sipamla, Evan Jones, and Delano Potgieter will be the ones to watch out for in this bowling attack. Though skipper Bjorn Fortuin is also handy with the ball, he’s not found much success lately.

Left-arm medium-fast bowler Kwena Maphaka was exceptional in his last outing against the Titans with figures of 3 for 11 and a maiden over. He’s picked consistent wickets in the last few games and is a key wicket-taker in the side.

Lions Predicted Playing XI:

Zubayr Hamza, Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Connor Esterhuizen (wk), Mitchell Van Buuren, Delano Potgieter, Evan Jones, Bjorn Fortuin (c), Lutho Sipamla, Kwena Maphaka, Nqabayomzi Peter

Titans Preview

The Titans outplayed the Lions in the opening game of the season beating them by a huge margin of 117 runs. However, things have changed since then and the Lions have been the best team in the tournament.

The Titans have depth in their batting lineup and that is their biggest strength coming into the Final. They’ve got Donovan Ferreira and the bowling all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo in the lower order.

These are reliable players who can finish the game on a high for the Titans. Phehlukwayo’s unbeaten 39 off 16 balls at number 7 in the last match helped the Titans reach 182 while batting first.

Heinrich Klaasen hasn’t been in good touch in the middle order lately. He is the star player in this batting lineup who needs to find his form. The opening duo of Lhuan-dre Pretorius and wicket-keeper bat Rivaldo Moonsamy has looked very promising.

At number 3, Dayyan Galiem is a reliable and consistent middle-order batter who is in fine touch. Overall, it looks like a solid batting lineup, and with their current form, we expect the Titans to post a competitive total in this match.

The bowling attack is great too. It is a star-studded lineup with many experienced players. The likes of Gerald Coetzee, Corbin Bosch, Andile Phehlukwayo, and Tabraiz Shamsi make it a very strong bowling attack.

They also have Roelof van der Merwe in the squad who looked in good touch but didn’t play in Qualifier 2. Overall, the squad looks a bit stronger than that of the Lions.

Titans Predicted Playing XI:

Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Sibonelo Makhanya, Heinrich Klaasen (c), Donovan Ferreira, Dayyaan Galiem, Andile Phehlukwayo, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Junior Dala, Tabraiz Shamsi

Weather Conditions

We expect cloudy skies in Johannesburg with a high of 27 degrees Celsius on the match day. The forecast is for rain on a day before the match but there will be no rain that could abandon the game on the match day.

LNS vs TIT Pitch Report

It is a balanced wicket where bowlers have enjoyed great help off the surface. The pacers will play a key role on this pitch. The average 1st innings score in domestic T20s at this venue is 165 runs. We reckon anything above 175 should be a match-winning total in this game.

Toss: To Bat

Teams batting first have won 4 of the 6 matches played at this venue in the CSA T20 Challenge 2024. Both teams have a solid bowling attack capable of defending a total. In a game like this, chasing may not be an ideal choice considering the pressure of the Final.