The IPL 2026 league stage ends with one of the most dramatic single-game elimination scenarios in the tournament’s history. Punjab Kings arrive at Ekana carrying the weight of six consecutive losses. That is the most catastrophic collapse in IPL history after they started the season 6-0. This is their last league match. Win and reach 15 points, stay alive and hope other results cooperate. Lose and go home at 13 points.
Lucknow Super Giants have nothing to play for. They are already out with just 6 points from 12 matches. But LSG have beaten PBKS twice in this rivalry at Ekana. A dead-rubber side with nothing to lose can be the most dangerous opponent of all.
For PBKS, this is everything. Six straight losses. A 6-0 start turned into a nightmare. Now one match decides their season. Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal are the key players. Their win probability favors PBKS. But Lucknow at home, on a slow turning pitch, with nothing to lose, that is a dangerous combination.
LSG vs PBKS Win Probability
LSG vs PBKS Match Details
| Match | Indian Premier League 2026, 68th Match |
| Date | Saturday, 23 May 2026 |
| Time | 07:30 PM (IST) |
| Venue | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| Live Streaming (TV) | Star Sports Network |
| Live Streaming (Mobile) | JioHotstar |
LSG vs PBKS Team Form – Who Will Win Today’s Match?
Punjab Kings
PBKS started the season 6-0. Then they lost six in a row. That collapse is the worst in IPL history. Their batting is still strong. Priyansh Arya has 364 runs at a strike rate of 212.86. Cooper Connolly has 473 runs at an average of 47.30. Shreyas Iyer has 397 runs at an average of 44.11. Their bowling has Yuzvendra Chahal with 10 wickets. Arshdeep Singh leads the pace attack.
The concern is confidence. Six straight losses hurt any team. The pressure of a must-win final match can break even good sides. But they have the players and the pitch advantage.
Lucknow Super Giants
LSG have only 6 points from 12 matches. They are already eliminated. Their batting has been inconsistent all season. Mitchell Marsh has 467 runs at strike rate 162.15. He is their only reliable top-order performer. Rishabh Pant has 251 runs at average 27.88. He is struggling for form but holds the venue record with 118* in 2025.
Prince Yadav is their leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets. Mohammed Shami has 10 wickets. Their batting depth at positions 4 to 8 averages only 20.66 all season. That is a major weakness.
LSG vs PBKS Probable Playing XI
Lucknow Super Giants Probable XI-
Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Mukul Choudhary, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Shami, Mayank Yadav, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav.
Punjab Kings Probable XI-
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
LSG vs PBKS Head-to-Head Record
| Last 5 Matches | |
| LSG Won | 03 |
| PBKS Won | 02 |
| Draw/NR/Tie | 00 |
LSG vs PBKS Pitch Report
Ekana is one of the most unique surfaces in the IPL. The black soil grips, turns, and slows down as the match goes on. Pace bowlers get early movement in the first 4 to 5 overs. But from over 7 onwards, spinners take complete control. Middle-over scoring rates drop a lot here compared to other IPL venues.
The average first innings score is 175. But LSG themselves have been bowled out for 119 against RR and 141 against DC at this ground in IPL 2026. That shows how much the surface can favor disciplined bowling. A total of 165 to 185 is competitive here.
LSG vs PBKS Weather Report
The weather in Lucknow on match day will be very hot and dry with temperatures around 38 to 42 degrees during the day and about 32 degrees at match time. There is very low chance of rain, under 10 percent, and humidity will be between 35 to 45 percent. Dew is not a factor here in May.
LSG vs PBKS Toss Prediction
The captain who wins the toss will likely field first. Ekana’s slow pitch gets harder to bat on as the match goes on. Chasing teams win the majority of matches here. Dew is very low in May, so there is no second-innings advantage for batting sides. Both Pant and Shreyas Iyer know this ground well. Whoever wins the toss will bowl first.
LSG vs PBKS Match Prediction
This is a must-win match for PBKS. Win and stay alive, lose and go home.
PBKS are moderate favorites here. LSG collapsed to 119 and 141 at Ekana twice this season. If they score under 170, PBKS chase it comfortably. Arya’s powerplay explosiveness and Connolly’s anchor role can handle the chase. The danger is Marsh building a solid platform. If LSG reach 185 or more, the slow Ekana surface makes the chase genuinely difficult even for PBKS.
PBKS are strong favorites here. Arya has a strike rate of 212.86. Prabhsimran has 441 runs. They can post an aggressive powerplay total. If PBKS post 185 or more, it becomes very hard to chase on this slow pitch. LSG’s batting depth at positions 4 to 8 averages only 20.66 all season. They cannot handle a big target on a deteriorating Ekana surface. Chahal in the middle overs defending a big total is PBKS’s strongest possible position.
Punjab Kings have the better team. Arya, Connolly, Arshdeep, and Chahal on a spin-friendly Ekana surface give them the advantage. They beat LSG by 54 runs at this exact venue just weeks ago.
The only concern is confidence. Six straight losses and must-win pressure can break even good teams. But against an already eliminated opponent, back PBKS to find their early season form when it matters most.
LSG vs PBKS Dream11 Team
- Wicketkeeper- Nicholas Pooran, Prabhsimran Singh
- Batters- Mitchell Marsh, Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly
- All-rounders- Shreyas Iyer, Azmatullah Omarzai
- Bowlers- Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mohammed Shami
Captain (C) Pick- Cooper Connolly.
Vice-Captain (VC) Pick- Priyansh Arya.
