PBKS face LSG in one last attempt at making playoffs:Lucknow lost last three encounters vs Punjab, all eyes on Shreyas Iyer’s men

Ahead of the playoff stage, Punjab Kings (PBKS) are set to face the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their must-win match to qualify for the knockouts of the 19th IPL season. The match will be held at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow. Punjab Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants three times in their last five matches. The last time Lucknow defeated Punjab was in the 2024 season. Earlier this season, PBKS defeated LSG by 54 runs in the reverse fixture. Batting first, Punjab scored 254/7 runs in 20 overs. In response, Lucknow Super Giants could manage to score 200 runs while chasing 254 runs in 20 overs. Priyansh Arya was awarded POTM for his blistering 93-run knock, which came off 37 balls. After losing six consecutive matches, the Punjab Kings are on the verge of elimination. Lucknow Super Giants, on the other hand, have already been knocked out and are playing purely for pride. Can PBKS break their losing streak and keep their playoffs dream alive? LSG vs PBKS, IPL 2026 Match Details Match: Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings, match 68 Date: 23 May, 2026 Venue: BRSABV Ekana Stadium, Lucknow Time: 7:30 PM IST, toss at 7:00 PM How to watch: Star Sports network (Telecasting), JioHotstar (Streaming) Where to follow: Follow live updates from the match on the Bhaskar English app. LSG vs PBKS, head-to-head record Lucknow and Punjab have developed a closely fought rivalry, meeting seven times in the IPL. PBKS hold a slight 4-3 advantage over Lucknow. LSG’s highest score against Punjab is 257, while PBKS have posted 254. With both sides capable of producing big totals, their encounters are often packed with excitement and runs. Marsh, Prince aim to spoil Punjab’s party Explosive Mitchell Marsh is the leading run-scorer for the eliminated LSG. He has scored 563 runs with a strike rate of 163.18 in 13 matches. On the other hand, Prince Yadav has taken 16 wickets and conceded runs with an economy of 8.71 in 13 matches. Following his IPL performance, he has earned a maiden call-up for Team India in the Afghanistan Test and ODI series. Connolly, Arshdeep look to push Punjab in knockouts Punjab’s middle-order batter, Cooper Connolly, is the leading run-scorer for the side. He has scored 473 runs with a strike rate of 162.54 in 13 matches. On the other hand, Arshdeep Singh has taken 14 wickets and conceded runs with an economy of 9.78 in 13 matches. Arshdeep Singh dismissed Mitchell Marsh three times LSG’s explosive opener, Mitchell Marsh, has scored 36 runs, facing 21 balls with a strike rate of 171.42 in 5 innings against Arshdeep Singh. On the other hand, Punjab pacer Arshdeep has dismissed him three times in the tournament history. He has conceded runs with an expensive economy of 10.28. BRSABV Ekana Stadium, pitch report The venue has emerged as one of the IPL’s more bowler-friendly venues. Apart from the high-scoring LSG-RCB clash, most IPL 2026 matches here have been relatively low-scoring. The surface typically offers low bounce, making aggressive strokeplay challenging and rewarding patient batting. Spinners are expected to have a major impact, with the pitch providing grip and slowing the ball as the innings progress. Lucknow weather report On Saturday evening, the weather in Lucknow is expected to be 20% humid. There is no chance of rain with the temperature expected to be 35° Celsius. With 35 km/h of wind gust, there is a dew point of 10°.