Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Prediction & Preview – IPL 2026 50th
Match summary
Struggling Lucknow Super Giants host Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026 match 50 at Ekana Stadium. Preview with form, key players, pitch and scores.
Match details
| Match | Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 50th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Date | 7 May 2026 |
| Start time | 7:30 pm local |
| Venue | Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Toss pick | Lucknow Super Giants |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Lucknow Super Giants have won only two of nine and are still near the bottom of the table. They scored 228 last time but lost by six wickets to Mumbai Indians after a poor bowling display, in which the first wicket came in the 11th over. They have also won just one of their last four against RCB.
Mitchell Marsh has 256 runs and will open with Josh Inglis, while Nicholas Pooran hit 63 at a strike rate of 300 to show some form. Akshat Raghuwanshi and Himmat Singh need to finish better. Prince Yadav has 13 wickets at 8.06 an over, but Mohammed Shami’s form worries them, and Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth and Avesh Khan need to be tighter.
Rajat Patidar’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru have enjoyed a strong season, with only a four-wicket loss to Gujarat Titans in the last match to blemish it. Virat Kohli has over 350 runs at an average above 54, Devdutt Padikkal 282 at a strike rate of 188, and Tim David and Romario Shepherd add power. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 17 wickets, supported by Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya.
The Ekana Stadium surface is slow and helpful to spin, with low to medium bounce that gets slower as the game progresses. Spinners matter most in the middle overs, and seamers do best with cutters. Batters must spend time in the middle before hitting out, and scores of 140–160 are usually competitive. Sides often bat first, though dew can help chasing teams in night games.
At 7:30 pm in Lucknow it should be warm and comfortable at 26–29°C, with slightly hazy but mostly clear skies and moderate humidity. Rain is very unlikely, and some dew may help batting in the second innings.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 170–190 | – |
| Second innings | 165–185 | – |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
RCB have been strong all season, boast the better bowling attack and have a good record against Lucknow, who have won only two of nine.
Toss pick: Lucknow Super Giants
FAQ
Who will win LSG vs RCB?
Our preview picks Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who have won three of the last four matches between the sides.
What is Lucknow’s main weakness?
Their bowling: they allowed Mumbai Indians to chase 228 and the first wicket did not fall until the 11th over.
Is the Ekana pitch good for batting?
Not particularly. It is slow and spin-friendly, so big totals are rarer than at many other IPL venues.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Line-ups not available yet.
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru that we covered.