Lucknow: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their last league-stage match of the season, Match 68 of IPL 2026, on Saturday, 23 May at 7:30 PM at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow. PBKS need a must-win match to keep their playoff hopes alive.
LSG have had a disappointing season, marked by inconsistency in both batting and bowling. They are currently at the bottom of the table and out of the playoff race. In their last match against RR, they failed to defend a massive total of 220. Their top order has looked strong in recent matches, but the middle order and bowling unit have struggled with the same inconsistency.
On the other hand, PBKS, after an explosive start with six consecutive wins, have now suffered badly with six straight losses. In their last match against RCB, their batting collapsed and they failed to chase 222. They are currently on 13 points and need this win to reach 15 points, which could keep them alive in the playoff race. However, they are heavily dependent on the result of the RR vs MI match on Sunday, as if RR win, PBKS will be eliminated from the playoff contention. Their bowling and fielding remain a major concern, as the bowlers have become increasingly expensive. In batting as well, they have lost their early momentum, with the opening pair and captain Shreyas Iyer struggling for form. In the previous encounter between LSG and PBKS earlier this season, PBKS won by 54 runs after LSG failed to chase a massive target of 254. In IPL matches played between the two sides, LSG have won 3, while PBKS have won 4 out of 7 encounters.
Lucknow Super Giants Squad: Rishabh Pant, Aiden Markram, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ayush Badoni, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Anrich Nortje, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan.
LSG Playing XI: Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav.
Impact Player: Digvesh Rathi
Punjab Kings Squad: Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod, Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash, Prabhsimran Singh, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Priyansh Arya, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Mitch Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad, Lockie Ferguson.
PBKS Playing XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh.
Impact Player: Yuzvendra Chahal / Vijaykumar Vyshak
The weather is expected to remain hot and dry, with very little chance of rain. The temperature during the match is likely to stay around 32–36°C, with hazy to clear skies and light winds. Humidity may increase later in the evening, which could bring some dew in the second innings and make batting easier under lights. Overall, the forecast suggests a full match without interruptions. The pitch at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium is expected to be slightly slow and balanced, offering assistance to spinners and bowlers who use variations effectively. Batters may find it difficult to play aggressive shots early in the innings, as the surface generally does not offer consistent pace and bounce. As the match progresses, dew in the second innings could improve batting conditions and make it harder for bowlers to grip the ball. A total around 160–180 is likely to be competitive on this surface, and the team winning the toss may prefer to bowl first considering the dew factor. This match is very crucial for PBKS. A win keeps them alive in the playoff race. LSG, meanwhile, will look to play for pride and possibly take revenge for their earlier defeat this season.
