Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their final IPL 2026 group stage fixture at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Saturday, 23 May, with an 7:30 pm IST start. For PBKS, the match is a virtual must-win; for LSG, it is a dead rubber that could still serve as a statement ahead of the next season.

LSG's Dismal Campaign

Lucknow Super Giants, captained by Rishabh Pant, have endured one of their most disappointing IPL campaigns to date. With just 8 points from 13 matches, they sit at the bottom of the standings and are already eliminated from playoff contention. Despite occasional bright performances, the side has been unable to string together consistent displays in either batting or bowling, repeatedly faltering at critical junctures in games.

The season has underlined structural concerns around the team's balance — a top order that has misfired and a bowling attack that has lacked penetration in the middle overs. This final group game offers little more than a chance to salvage pride.

PBKS's Playoff Lifeline

Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer, arrive in Lucknow on the back of six consecutive defeats — a dramatic reversal after a strong start to the tournament. Despite the losing streak, PBKS remain fifth on the points table with 13 points and are still mathematically alive in the race for a top-four finish.

A win on Saturday would keep their qualification hopes intact heading into the final round of league matches. A defeat, however, would all but extinguish their chances. The pressure, therefore, falls squarely on Iyer's side to end their slump against an already-eliminated LSG.

Match Details and Broadcast

The match will be broadcast live on Star Sports channels, with live streaming available on JioHotstar. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm IST on Saturday, 23 May 2026, at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

Full Squads

Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant (C), Aiden Markram, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahamad, Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ayush Badoni, Mohammad Shami, Avesh Khan, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Anrich Nortje, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan.

Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer (C), Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod (wk), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad.

What to Watch

With nothing riding on the result for LSG, the match could offer fringe players a chance to stake a claim for next season. For PBKS, the focus will be on whether Shreyas Iyer can arrest a six-game slide and keep alive a playoff dream that looked far more certain just a fortnight ago. A PBKS win would set up a tense final-round scenario across the standings.