Last Updated on 15 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey

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Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) meet the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 38th game of IPL 2026. Ekana Stadium, Lucknow, will host this game on 26th April 2026 at 7:30 PM IST.

LSG defeated KKR by 3 wickets in their first encounter this season. Mukul (54* runs) was the hero of the game, pulling off an incredible win for his team.

LSG won two of their first three games. However, since then, they’ve lost four on the trot to sit in ninth position. Their batting has failed to get going, and it’s the main reason for their poor performance so far. Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, and even Mitchell Marsh have failed to perform consistently.

KKR are also struggling in IPL 2026 so far. They registered their first win of this season in the last game against RR by four wickets. They are at the bottom of the table with 1 win in 7 games. Their bowling has been below average, and the batters too have failed to score consistently. 

Sunil Narine has bowled well while Varun Chakaravarthy also looks to have found his rhythm in the last two games. Kartik Tyagi has been impressive, but none of the other bowlers have been able to make an impact. Like LSG, KKR desperately need a win today.

Match Details

IPL 2026 38th Match: LSG vs KKR Probable Playing XIIs

LSG may bring in Matthew Breetzke in the XI for this game. George Linde can also get a chance in place of Aiden Markram. 

Their bowlers have been strong, which offers hope ahead of today’s game. Prince Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, and Mayank Yadav form a solid pace attack that can trouble any side in the league. They restricted RR to just 159 runs in their last game, but the batters failed to chase it down as they were bowled out for just 119 runs. It’s high time for LSG to start performing to keep in touch with the top four.

Lucknow Super Giants: 1. Mitchell Marsh, 2. Matthew Breetzke/Aiden Markram, 3. Rishabh Pant (c & wk), 4. Nicholas Pooran, 5. Ayush Badoni, 6. Mukhul Choudhary, 7. Manimaran Siddharth/George Linde, 8. Mohammed Shami, 9.  Mohsin Khan, 10. Prince Yadav, 11. Mayank Yadav, 12. Digvesh Rathi

Matheesha Pathirana is available and should play this game. He is expected to replace Rovman Powell in the XI with Manish Pandey coming in as well. 

Ajinkya Rahane started off well but has been abysmal in the last few games, while the others have also been unable to perform as a unit. Tim Seifert, Rovman Powell, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and Cameron Green will have to step up if the Knight Riders are to fight for the playoff spot. Rinku Singh’s fifty in the last game was a promising sign for the three-time champions.

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1. Tim Seifert (wk), 2. Ajinkya Rahane (c), 3. Cameron Green, 4. Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5. Manish Pandey, 6. Rinku Singh, 7. Ramandeep Singh, 8. Sunil Narine, 9. Vaibhav Arora, 10. Kartik Tyagi 11. Matheesha Pathirana, 12. Varun Chakaravarthy

Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium Lucknow Pitch Report and Weather

There has been plenty of movement on offer for the pacers with the new ball at Ekana this season. The pacers have enjoyed bowling here, as there has been pace and bounce available. The spinners too have found some help, and the bigger boundaries will bring them into the game. 

The average first innings score here this season is 154 runs. Teams will prefer chasing, but batting first won’t be a bad option either. 

It will be a very hot day in Lucknow with no chance of rain. The temperature will be around 35 degrees Celsius at the start of the match.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for LSG vs KKR: Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top Wicket-Keeper Picks:  

• Rishabh Pant has 147 runs in seven innings at an average of 24.50 with one fifty to his name. Pant has failed to make an impact, but he’s amongst the best batters for LSG and will be a must in your fantasy teams.  
• Tim Seifert is another top fantasy pick for this game. He scored 19 runs in the first game he played this season and was dismissed on the first ball in the last game. He will face some serious threat from Shami and Mohsin in this game, but you can back him in this match.

Key batter picks: 

• Mitchell Marsh scored 55 runs in the last game, but he was still far from his fluent best. We all know how destructive he can be, and he can make you pay if you miss out on him in your fantasy teams. You can try him as C/VC as well.
• Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been the best batter for his side in IPL 2026. He has 200 runs at an average of 33.33 with two fifties. He will be a key player for KKR in the middle order and a must-pick.

Top all-rounder picks: 

• Aiden Markram should move to the top order in this game. He can attack the bowlers and exploit the field restrictions in the first six overs. Markarm can also bowl an over or two if needed. He will be a top C/VC choice.
• Cameron Green will be the best captain pick for this game. He will bat at 3 or 4 and will bowl an over or two. Green should enjoy the conditions at Ekana with the ball coming onto the bat nicely. He scored 79 runs against GT and will be a key batter for his team.
• Sunil Narine has bowled brilliantly for his six wickets at an economy of just 6.82. He will fancy his chances against LSG’s struggling middle order, and he can contribute with the bat as well. Try him as C/VC in some of your teams.

Key bowler picks: 

• Mohammed Shami has looked in good rhythm and has picked up wickets with the new ball. KKR’s top order is struggling at the moment, and Shami can easily pick up a few wickets in this game. He has seven wickets in seven games so far.  
• Prince Yadav has been brilliant for LSG. He has 13 wickets in seven games at a strike rate of just 12. He is bowling the difficult overs for LSG, and his execution has been excellent. Prince will trouble the KKR batters, and he’ll be a top C/VC option. 
• Mohsin Khan picked up two wickets for just 17 runs in the last game. He hits the deck hard and can move the new ball. He will be in for a good game with the conditions suiting the pacers and the opposition struggling with the bat.
• Varun Chakaravarthy has found his rhythm in the last two games. He picked up 2 wickets against GT and was the player of the match in the last game against RR – 3/14. He will fancy his chances against the LSG middle order. Varun will be a good C/VC option.

Other Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Rinku Singh.
• Mukul Choudhary.
• Rovman Powell.
• Kartik Tyagi.
• Vaibhav Arora.
• Matheesha Pathirana.

Other Matchups and Facts 

• Head-to-Head: 7 matches; LSG 5 and KKR 2. 
• Rishabh Pant vs Varun Chakaravarthy (T20s): 31 runs and 3 dismissals in 29 deliveries.
• Nicholas Pooran vs Kartik Tyagi (T20s): 10 runs and 2 dismissals in 9 deliveries. 
• Nicholas Pooran vs Matheesha Pathirana (T20s): 58 runs and 4 dismissals in 47 deliveries. 
• Ayush Badoni vs Sunil Narine (T20s): 38 runs and 3 dismissals in 40 deliveries.

IPL 2026 38th Match: LSG vs KKR Dream11 Prediction Today

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Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams.

Option 1:

Option 2:

IPL 2026 38th Match: LSG vs KKR Match Prediction: Who will win?

Kolkata Knight Riders will be the confident side coming to this game, as they won their last game after a good team effort. Pathirana’s inclusion will further bolster their bowling. LSG, on the other hand, is struggling with their batting. 

Kolkata Knight Riders to win.

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