Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals Prediction & Match Preview – IPL 2026

Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals meet in the 32nd match of IPL 2026 in contrasting moods. Lucknow won two of their first three but have since lost three straight and sit in the bottom three with 4 points and a net run rate of -1.173. Their latest defeat came by 54 runs against Punjab Kings, who made 254/7 after being put in.

The top order is the main worry for Rishabh Pant’s side. Aiden Markram leads their run-scorers on 162, with Mitchell Marsh on 155, Pant on 147, Ayush Badoni on 148 and debutant Mukul Choudhary on the same tally, while Nicholas Pooran has just 51. Young seamer Prince Yadav, with 11 wickets, has been the bowling bright spot.

Rajasthan won their first four, including victories over CSK, Mumbai Indians and RCB, before losses to Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders left them on four wins from six. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has 246 runs and Yashasvi Jaiswal 223, with Dhruv Jurel adding 181 at number three, though captain Riyan Parag has managed only 60. Archer, Nandre Burger and Ravi Bishnoi give the attack plenty of bite. Our preview gives Rajasthan the edge.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

The Ekana Stadium surface is known to be slow and to help spin, with low to medium bounce that gets slower as the game wears on. Spinners matter in the middle overs, and seamers do best with cutters and changes of pace rather than raw speed. Batters need time to settle. Scores of 140–160 are normally competitive in T20s here, and teams often bat first, although dew at night can help chasers.

Weather

Conditions are forecast to stay hot and dry after sunset, with temperatures around 34–36°C and a mostly clear, slightly hazy sky. The chance of rain is very low, so a full game is expected. A light breeze may help a little, and dew is expected to be limited.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 170–185
• 2nd innings: 160–175

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