Punjab Kings, led by captain Shreyas Iyer, have opted to bowl first against Lucknow Super Giants in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Punjab Kings, despite a series of losses, still have a chance to qualify for the playoffs if they defeat Lucknow Super Giants and improve their net run rate above Kolkata Knight Riders.
In their previous encounter this season, Punjab Kings secured a 54-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants in New Chandigarh. Captain Iyer expressed excitement about the must-win situation, highlighting the team’s eagerness for the challenge and the support from the players.
Lucknow Super Giants’ captain, Rishabh Pant, announced the debut of Arjun Tendulkar and the inclusion of Arshin Kulkarni and Mohammed Shami in the team, with Mitchell Marsh unavailable. Pant mentioned the team’s preference to bowl first on a pitch conducive to both batting and bowling, anticipating a potentially high-scoring game.
The playing XIs for the match are as follows:
Lucknow Super Giants: Josh Inglis, Arshin Kulkarni, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (wk), Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Arjun Tendulkar, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, and Mohsin Khan.
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
