IPL 2026: Punjab Kings wins toss; opt to bowl against Lucknow Super Giants

LUCKNOW: The Punjab Kings (PBKS) have won the toss, and they have decided to field against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 68th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Saturday evening. The Lucknow vs Punjab clash is being held at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

A win for Lucknow would allow them to finish their IPL 2026 season on a positive note, while a loss for PBKS would eliminate them from the playoff race. However, even a victory for Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS may not be enough to secure qualification, with Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals still in contention for the remaining spots.

Speaking at the toss, LSG captain Rishabh Pant said the wicket looked ideal for batting and hinted at a high-scoring contest, adding that LSG would have preferred to bowl first as well. He also confirmed two changes in the playing XI, bringing in Arjun and Arshin Kulkarni for the final league fixture.

Toss update from Lucknow @PunjabKingsIPL won the toss and elected to bowl first against @LucknowIPL

Updates https://t.co/2ADKr4dqhi#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #LSGvPBKS pic.twitter.com/FZTDevYeis

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 23, 2026

“We would have bowled first as well. This wicket is good for cricket regardless of bowling or batting. This is one of the better batting wickets; it could be a high-scoring match. Two changes — Arjun and Arshin Kulkarni are in. It’s been a tough season, but at the same time, there has been a lot of learning, both for the team and personally. I’d say sorry for the fans, they have come from all over UP. It’s been tough going for us, but we’ll give our 100% today,” the LSG skipper said.

After winning the toss, PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer confirmed two changes in the Playing XI. “We will bowl first. Two changes – Marco and Vyshak are in. Feeling is exciting, I would say it’s a good match for us. We have never been in this situation before, and the boys are waiting to do their best.”

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

PBKS Impact Players: Harpreet Brar, Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Praveen Dubey.

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Josh Inglis, Arshin Kulkarni, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Arjun Tendulkar, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan.

LSG Impact Players: Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Manimaran Siddharth, Himmat Singh, Akash Maharaj Singh. (ANI)