Last Updated on 4 weeks by Charbel Coorey

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Delhi Capitals (DC) will go head-to-head against each other in the 40th game of IPL 2025. LSG is fifth in the points table with five wins in eight games, while DC is seconnd with five wins in seven matches. Delhi Capitals defeated LSG by one wicket in a thriller of a game when these two sides met earlier this season.

Lucknow Super Giants won their last match by two runs against the Rajasthan Royals. Aiden Markram has regained his touch just at the right time for LSG. Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran have failed to get going in the last couple of games. Rishabh Pant’s form will be a concern but Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad have been brilliant with the bat. 

The bowlers have done a great job till now for Lucknow. They’ve played as a unit with the pacers and spinners complementing each other. Mayank Yadav is very close to match fitness which will further bolster their bowling.

On the other hand, Delhi Capitals have been one of the most consistent sides this season. Their batters have been in good form and the bowlers have also done well. KL Rahul, Abhishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs have been in good form while Axar Patel has been the x-factor for them in the middle order. Karun Nair has also done a good job.

Mitchell Starc has bowled well but there’s still a little room for improvement as he’s failed to pick wickets with the new ball. Mohit Sharma and Mukesh Kumar have room for improvement. Kuldeep Yadav has been the best bowler for DC and the others need to step up now.

In this article, we will cover the possible playing XIIs, Lucknow pitch report, fantasy cricket tips and Dream11 prediction for the 40th match of IPL 2025.

IPL 2025 40th Match: LSG vs DC Probable Playing XIIs

LSG is expected to be unchanged.

Lucknow Super Giants: 1. Aiden Markram, 2. Mitchell Marsh, 3. Nicholas Pooran, 4. Rishabh Pant (c & wk), 5. Ayush Badoni, 6. David Miller, 7. Abdul Samad, 8. Shardul Thakur, 9. Prince Yadav, 10. Avesh Khan, 11. Digvesh Singh Rathi, 12. Ravi Bishnoi (Impact)

DC is expected to be unchanged. Faf du Plessis will straightaway come into the XII if he’s fit.

Delhi Capitals: 1. Abhishek Porel, 2. Karun Nair, 3. KL Rahul (wk), 4. Axar Patel (c), 5. Tristan Stubbs, 6. Ashutosh Sharma, 7. Vipraj Nigam, 8. Mitchell Starc, 9. Kuldeep Yadav, 10. Mohit Sharma, 11. Mukesh Kumar, 12. Donovan Ferreira/Dushmantha Chameera (Impact)

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

The pitch at Ekana has been a good one for batting and it has something for the bowlers as well. There will be some movement with the new ball and the spinners are expected to get good assistance and the big dimensions will also suit them. 

Teams are expected to prefer chasing but batting first won’t be a bad option either. Scores in the range of 180-200 are expected.

It will be a pretty hot day in Lucknow with no chance of rain. The temperature will be around 31-32 degrees Celsius at the start of the game. Dew can be a factor in this match.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for LSG vs DC: Top Picks/Key Players to Watch

Top Wicket-Keeper Picks: 

• Nicholas Pooran scored 75 off just 30 against DC earlier this season. He has struggled against Kuldeep Yadav but he took the attack to him in that game. Pooran will be a key player for LSG at 3 and will look to score big in this game. Pooran will have to be cautious against Kuldeep and Starc.
• KL Rahul will be playing for the first time against LSG. He knows the venue inside out and has been in top form this season. There’s no real threat to Rahul from any of the LSG bowlers and he will be in for a big score.
• Abhishek Porel has been in good touch at the top for DC. He has been very aggressive initially in his innings and can score big once he gets going. Porel will be a top pick, especially while batting first.

Key batter picks: 

• Mitchell Marsh scored 72 off 36 against DC in the first game this season. He took Mitchell Starc to the cleaners, attacking him from the first ball. Marsh will look to do something similar in this game. He will be a must in your fantasy teams.
• Tristan Stubbs has been in good touch, especially in the last couple of games. He bats positively and can take the game away from the opposition on his day.

Top all-rounder picks: 

• Aiden Markram has been the best batter for LSG in the last few games. He has three fifties and a 47 in his last five innings. Markram has found his mojo and will be a must in your fantasy teams.
• Axar Patel hasn’t been at his best with the ball but he’s scored runs consistently with the bat. He takes down the bowlers in the middle overs and will be a must in your fantasy teams.

Key bowler picks: 

• Mitchell Starc has seven wickets in three games against LSG. He picked up three wickets in the first meeting against them this season. Starc can trouble LSG’s key batters and will be a top fantasy pick, especially while bowling first. 
• Kuldeep Yadav has been the best bowler for DC and amongst the top wicket-takers of IPL 2025 till now. He will fancy his chances against Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant and LSG’s middle order.

Other Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Cricket Team 

• Shardul Thakur picked up two wickets in the first game against DC. He has bowled well this season and will be a good fantasy pick for this game.
• Ayush Badoni (Bat first)
• Abdul Samad
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Mukesh Kumar (Bowl first)
• Mohit Sharma (Bowl first)

Other Matchups and Facts

• Head to Head: Matches: 5, LSG 3, GT 2
• Nicholas Pooran vs Mitchell Starc: 4 deliveries, 5 runs, 2 dismissals.
• Rishabh Pant vs Kuldeep Yadav: 25 deliveries, 23 runs, 3 dismissals.
• Mitchell Marsh vs Mitchell Starc: 18 deliveries, 41 runs, 3 dismissals.

IPL 2025 40th Match: LSG vs DC Dream11 Prediction

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 2025 40th Match: LSG vs DC Match Prediction: Who will win?

Delhi Capitals have been in good form as a side, there is room for improvement with the ball but they are looking pretty balanced compared to the Lucknow Super Giants. Delhi Capitals to win this game.