LSG vs PBKS Prediction & Match Preview – IPL 2026, 68th Match
Match summary
Lucknow Super Giants meet Punjab Kings at Ekana in a must-win game for PBKS. Read form, likely XIs, pitch, weather and our prediction.
Match details
| Match | Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings, 68th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Date | 23 May 2026 |
| Start time | 7:30 pm local |
| Venue | Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Punjab Kings |
| Toss pick | Lucknow Super Giants |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Lucknow Super Giants end their IPL 2026 league campaign at home against Punjab Kings, a side with far more riding on the result. LSG have won only 4 of 13 matches under Rishabh Pant and are out of the playoff race. They did pile up 220 against Rajasthan Royals last time, but the bowlers could not defend it.
Batting has been LSG’s positive. Mitchell Marsh has made 563 runs and remains in the Orange Cap discussion, with Josh Inglis starting alongside him, while Nicholas Pooran needs to find consistency in the middle order. The bowling is the problem: Prince Yadav has 16 wickets but has been expensive, and Akash Singh, Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav are asked to strike early.
Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer, topped the table for a spell but then lost six games in succession and slipped to fifth after the defeat to RCB. They need to win and also rely on other results. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya have both passed 700 runs, and Cooper Connolly leads the middle order with 473. The concern is the attack, which has conceded 200-plus in six of its last eight games; Arshdeep Singh has 14 wickets at an economy of 9.78. On balance, PBKS’s firepower and motivation can see them through.
Ekana is known for a slow surface that suits spin. Bounce is low to medium and the pitch grows slower as the game goes on, so batters need time before they can free their arms. Seamers do best with cutters and changes of pace rather than raw speed. Totals of 140–160 are generally competitive here, though dew in night games can help the chasing team.
Conditions should be fine for cricket at 7:30 pm local time, with temperatures around 31–34°C, mostly clear skies and a very low chance of rain. Light to moderate winds will offer some relief from the heat, humidity may creep up later, and dew could favour the side chasing.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 175–195 | – |
| Second innings | 165–185 | – |
Punjab Kings
PBKS have the stronger top order and a playoff chance to play for, while LSG are out of contention and have struggled to defend totals.
Toss pick: Lucknow Super Giants
FAQ
Who is favoured in LSG vs PBKS?
Our preview picks Punjab Kings, mainly because of their batting depth and what is at stake for them.
Is LSG still in the IPL 2026 playoff race?
No. They have won only 4 of 13 matches and were knocked out of contention some time ago.
Why are PBKS under pressure?
After briefly leading the table they lost six in a row, most recently by 23 runs to RCB, and now need a win plus favourable results elsewhere.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Lucknow Super Giants
- Mitchell Marsh
- Josh Inglis
- Nicholas Pooran
- Rishabh Pantc, wk
- Ayush Badoni
- Abdul Samad
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Mohsin Khan
- Mayank Yadav
- Akash Maharaj Singh
- Prince Yadav
Punjab Kings
- Priyansh Arya
- Prabhsimran Singhwk
- Cooper Connolly
- Shreyas Iyerc
- Suryansh Shedge
- Shashank Singh
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Harpreet Brar
- Lockie Ferguson
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings that we covered.