Lancashire vs Nottinghamshire Prediction & Match Preview – T20 Blast 2026

Lancashire and Nottinghamshire meet at Emirates Old Trafford in the 16th match of the T20 Blast 2026, an afternoon fixture starting at 4:00 pm local time on Monday 25 May.

Lancashire, captained by Keaton Jennings, have Michael Jones, Matthew Hurst, Ben McDermott and Joseph Moores in their likely batting line-up, with Chris Green and Paul Coughlin providing all-round options. The bowling is led by Saqib Mahmood, James Anderson, Jack Blatherwick and Tom Hartley.

Nottinghamshire, led by Joe Clarke, have Ben Duckett and George Munsey at the top, with Jack Haynes and Tom Moores to follow and Lyndon James and Benny Howell adding depth. Olly Stone, Dillon Pennington and Mohammad Ali form the bowling group.

The conditions may well decide the match. A hot, dry afternoon should be good for batting once the new ball loses its sheen, but early wickets will matter, because Old Trafford often rewards seam bowlers in the powerplay. Nottinghamshire’s batting quality gives them a small edge in our preview.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Old Trafford normally offers a balanced surface with a slight edge to bowlers early on. Fast bowlers can find swing and seam, especially in overcast or humid air, making the powerplay testing. Once the ball ages, the pitch settles and batters can build partnerships and accelerate in the middle and death overs. The outfield is quick, and spinners may get some help later, though their impact is usually limited. A competitive total is about 165–180.

Weather

Very warm and sunny conditions are forecast for 4:00 pm local time, with temperatures around 30–31°C, which is unusually hot for the venue. Skies should be mostly clear with no significant threat of rain. Dry conditions should favour batting as the game goes on, though bowlers may tire in the heat.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 175–190
• 2nd innings: 165–180

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