LSG vs PBKS Preview – IPL 2026 | Statz

Seb Friday, May 22, 2026

LSG vs PBKS – Match Overview

Lucknow Super Giants host Punjab Kings at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow in what is the final league-stage game of IPL 2026 for both sides. The match gets underway at 7:30 PM IST (3:00 PM BST) on Friday 23 May.

Punjab Kings sit 5th on 13 points from 13 games (W6 L6 NR1) and need a win here to keep their playoff hopes alive. Lucknow Super Giants are rooted at the bottom in 10th on 8 points from 13 (W4 L9) – their season is effectively over, but pride and spoiler status are still at stake.

The Venue – Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

The Ekana has hosted 27 T20s since April 2023 (Statz data). The average first-innings score is 175.9 with an average match total of 341.1. Teams batting first have won 44% of decided games – a slight chase-friendly lean. Pace bowlers go at 9.15 economy versus 8.21 for spinners. The highest total here is 235 and the lowest 121.

The pitch tag is balanced. The most recent game here saw CSK post 187/5 before LSG chased it down in 16.4 overs (188/3) on 15 May – a comfortable 7-wicket win for the home side.

Form and Table

Lucknow Super Giants – 10th (P13 W4 L9, 8 pts)

LSG have won just 2 of their last 5. Their wins came at home against CSK (188/3, chasing 187) and RCB (209/3, defended against 203/6). Away from Lucknow, it has been bleak – losses to RR (220/5 chasing 225/3), CSK (203/8 chasing 208/5), and MI (228/5 chasing 229/4). They can score runs but consistently leak more.

Last 5: L (vs RR), W (vs CSK), L (vs CSK), W (vs RCB), L (vs MI)

Punjab Kings – 5th (P13 W6 L6 NR1, 13 pts)

PBKS have lost their last 5 on the bounce – a catastrophic collapse after sitting comfortably in the top 4 earlier in the tournament. Defeats to RCB (199/8, lost by 23), MI (200/8, lost by 5), DC (210/5, lost by 6 wkts), SRH (202/7, lost by 33), and GT (163/9, lost by 4 wkts) have dragged them to 5th. They need a win and favourable results elsewhere.

Last 5: L (vs RCB), L (vs MI), L (vs DC), L (vs SRH), L (vs GT)

IPL 2026 – Top 4

Pos	Team	P	W	L	Pts
1	RCB	13	9	4	18
2	GT	14	9	5	18
3	SRH	13	8	5	16
4	RR	13	7	6	14
5	PBKS	13	6	6	13

Both teams have 1 game remaining. PBKS must win and hope other results go their way to sneak into the top 4.

Head-to-Head

7 meetings since 2022 (Statz data). PBKS lead 4-3 and have won the last 3 in a row – all convincingly. The most recent was on 19 April 2026 at Mullanpur where PBKS posted 254/7 before bowling LSG out for 200/5 – a 54-run win. LSG won the toss and chose to bowl but were blown apart by a PBKS batting masterclass.

At the Ekana, the record is tighter. LSG have hosted PBKS twice here – winning in 2024 (199/8 vs 178/5, 21-run win) but losing in 2025 (171/7 vs 177/2, PBKS chased it down with 8 wickets in hand).

Statz Projections

In the LSG bat first scenario, Statz projects a first-innings total of 170, a match total of 331 (P10: 289, P90: 372), and gives PBKS a 57.8% win probability against LSG’s 40.2%.

If PBKS bat first, the projected first innings is 172.9 with a match total of 334.3 (P10: 295, P90: 373). The win probabilities tighten slightly – PBKS 50.7%, LSG 47.3%.

The projected first-innings totals of 170-173 sit below the venue ground average of 175.9, reflecting LSG’s weaker batting and the model’s expectation that this won’t be a high-scoring classic.

Competition Season Leaders

Orange Cap and Purple Cap data is not yet available for this fixture on the Statz API.

LSG Season Run Leaders:

Mitchell Marsh – 563 runs (avg 43.31, HS 111, 13 matches)
Rishabh Pant – 286 runs (avg 22.00, HS 68, 13 matches)
Nicholas Pooran – 232 runs (avg 17.85, HS 63, 13 matches)

LSG Season Wicket Leaders:

Prince Yadav – 16 wickets (avg 1.23/match, best 3, 13 matches)
Mohsin Khan – 11 wickets (avg 1.83/match, best 5, 13 matches)

PBKS Season Run Leaders:

Cooper Connolly – 473 runs (avg 36.38, HS 107, 13 matches)
Prabhsimran Singh – 441 runs (avg 33.92, HS 80, 13 matches)
Shreyas Iyer – 397 runs (avg 30.54, HS 71, 13 matches)

PBKS Season Wicket Leaders:

Arshdeep Singh – 14 wickets (avg 1.08/match, best 3, 13 matches)
Yuzvendra Chahal – 10 wickets (avg 0.77/match, best 3, 13 matches)

Predicted XIs

LSG (based on XI vs Rajasthan Royals, 19 May 2026):

PBKS (based on XI vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 17 May 2026):

Check the fixture page on Statz for toss updates and confirmed lineups.

Fantasy Cricket Tips – Captain and Vice-Captain

From the Statz projections, filtering for players in the most recent playing XI only:

Captain: Azmatullah Omarzai – projected 109.2 Dream11 points. The Afghan all-rounder offers dual value – projected 23.9 runs at a 147.9 strike rate plus 1.42 wickets with a 9.04 economy. In a must-win game for PBKS, expect full overs and an aggressive approach.

Vice-Captain: Mitchell Marsh – projected 86.2 Dream11 points. LSG’s season run leader with 563 runs at 43.31 is projected for 40.8 runs. He bats at 3 with a projected strike rate of 155.2.

Also consider:

Marcus Stoinis – 85.4 pts (all-rounder value, 24.3 runs + 0.83 wkts)
Mohsin Khan – 80.2 pts (1.62 projected wickets, economy 9.67)
Cooper Connolly – 81.9 pts (27.6 runs + 0.44 wkts, PBKS season top scorer)

Key Players

Mitchell Marsh (LSG) – The Australian has been LSG’s best batter by a distance this season – 563 runs at 43.31 with a century. His last 3 scores read 10, 90, 96. The best bet on the board has Marsh over 24.5 runs at 1.83 with a Statz edge of 12.1% – the projections have him at 39.8 runs. He is the man for LSG.

Azmatullah Omarzai (PBKS) – The complete package. Batting at 6, projected for 23.9 runs at 147.9 SR, plus 1.42 wickets at 9.04 economy in 3 overs. In a game PBKS cannot afford to lose, Omarzai’s all-round contribution could be decisive.

Mohsin Khan (LSG) – The left-arm quick has been in devastating form – 5 wickets in his last outing. Season figures of 11 wickets in just 5 innings (avg 1.83/match) make him the most potent LSG bowler. Projected for 1.62 wickets here. Mohsin Khan 2+ wickets at 2.63 carries a 10.1% edge on Statz.

Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) – IPL’s leading wicket-taker for PBKS with 14 this season. Projected for 1.43 wickets with an economy of 9.81. The left-armer will be crucial in the powerplay and at the death.

Conditions

Clear skies in Lucknow with a temperature of 36 degrees Celsius, humidity at 26%, and minimal wind. No weather interruptions expected – a full 40-over game is assured.

Verdict and Betting Angles

PBKS to win. Despite their 5-game losing run, Punjab Kings simply have the better squad and more to play for. LSG are bottom of the table with nothing but pride on the line. The Statz model gives PBKS a 50.7-57.8% win probability depending on the toss scenario – and the bookmakers agree. The PBKS bowling attack of Arshdeep, Lockie Ferguson, Omarzai, and Chahal should have too much for an LSG batting lineup that has leaked runs all tournament.

Live Odds: LSG 2.25 (5/4) | PBKS 1.57 (23/40) – bet365

Betting angles:

1. Mitchell Marsh Over 24.5 Runs @ 1.83 (Ladbrokes) – Statz projects 39.8 runs with a 66.8% true probability vs 54.6% implied – a 12.1% edge. Season average of 43.31 makes this the best value on the board. Add to betslip

2. Mohsin Khan 2+ Wickets @ 2.63 (Midnite) – Projected for 1.62 wickets with a true probability of 48.2% vs 38% implied – 10.1% edge. Took 5 wickets in his last game and has 11 in just 5 innings this season. Add to betslip

3. Akash Maharaj Singh 1+ Wickets @ 1.57 (Midnite) – Statz projects 1.35 wickets with a 74.1% true probability vs 63.7% implied – 10.4% edge. A solid value play for the LSG seamer. Add to betslip

4. PBKS to win @ 1.57 (bet365) – The match odds reflect PBKS as clear favourites. They have more firepower, more motivation, and a deeper bowling unit. Even on a losing run, quality tends to win out when the stakes are this high.

Build your own bets at the Statz Cricket Bet Builder.