Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL, 2026 Apr 26 Full score card

Quicker one, around off, Ayush Badoni gets it underedged onto the pads of Tim Seifert and the ball deflects to short third for one. A really difficult chance.

Pushed through around off, Ayush Badoni looks to guide this past short third for run but gets beaten.

Fuller around off, Ayush Badoni blocks this around silly point.

Pooran's difficult IPL continues. LSG slip down from to 89/4. In walks Mukul Choudhary at number 6.

OUT! CAUGHT! Pooran falls into the trap set by Rahane and Varun. Chakaravarthy continues to bowl a quicker one, full and wide of off, Nicholas Pooran chases this and looks to loft this over covers but gets only an outside edge that goes straight into the hands of a very fine short third. Sunil Narine takes a sharp catch there.

Quicker one, full and wide outside off, Nicholas Pooran swings and misses.

Short of a length, around off, Nicholas Pooran pats this to cover-point.

WIDE! Once again, Varun fires this full and wide outside off, flirting with the tramline. Nicholas Pooran doesn't offer any stroke at it, expecting a wide, but the umpire keeps his arms down. Pooran sends this upstairs for a review. The replay shows that there is nothing inside the tramline, and this turns out to be an excellent review by Pooran. Wide given.

Darted across the batter, on off, Nicholas Pooran slashes hard at it but gets beaten.

SIX! Now these are dangerous signs for KKR as Pooran is looking in the mood. Tossed up, full and wide outside off, Nicholas Pooran steps towards the pitch of the ball and lofts this handsomely over the fence towards the deep extra cover region for a biggie.

Quicker one, wide of off, Ayush Badoni stays onto his back foot and cuts this to deep point for a single.

Short and on middle and leg, Ayush Badoni pulls this to deep mid-wicket for one more.

Length dragged back by Narine, on middle and off, Nicholas Pooran flicks this through mid-wicket for a single.

Full and on off, Ayush Badoni pushes this to sweeper cover for a single.

Fuller and flatter around off, Ayush Badoni cuts this off his back foot to short third.

Spin has done the trick here. Ayush Badoni is the next man in. A slip in place for him as well.

OUT! GONE! Narine strikes and strikes big, putting an end to this budding stand. He keeps KKR well and truly alive in the contest. Quicker and fuller, wide outside off, Rishabh Pant goes for a reverse sweep but misses and loses his balance as well. Tim Seifert gathers this on the second attempt and appeals for a caught behind but the umpire denies it. Ajinkya Rahane sends this upstairs for DRS. A clear spike on the UltraEdge as the ball is next to Pant's glove. An excellent review by KKR, forced by Tim Seifert and the home side loses their skipper. As they say, you live by the sword and die by it as well. Pant falls and the Super Giants are 78/3, chasing 156.

FOUR! A Pant special for four. Short of a length, on middle and off, Pant shuffles across and smashes this over the fielder at short fine leg for a boundary. Pant does fall over but hits this well behind the fielder for four.

Sunil Narine is back on. He has conceded 13 runs in his first two overs.

Excellent deception! Off cutter, full and wide outside off. Pooran swings the bat to blast it into the cover gap, but only manages to get an under-edge and the ball rolls back to Seifert. Just 7 from the over. LSG need 82 from 48 balls.

Wide yorker, at 142.9, and marginally inside the tramline, outside off. Nicholas Pooran opts to leave.

On the fuller side, smidge outside off. Pant steers it past point for a single.

At pace now, the yorker, on off. Pooran carves it to mid off and they cross over hastily for a single. Rahane rushes forward, picks the ball, releases the throw to the bowling end, but misses his shy, allowing Pooran to motor in.

Fuller ball, outside off. Pant knifes the slower ball through cover-point for a single.

FOUR! Pretty audacious, but Pant did what he does best. Pitched fuller on the leg stump line. Rishabh Pant moves across in the crease and despite his head falling over to the off side, he manages to whip that over the short fine leg fielder for a boundary. One bounce and over the ropes.

Will Ajinkya Rahane bring spin back on? No, he sticks with Kartik Tyagi.

Closer to the off pole, on a length, Nicholas Pooran watchfully blocks it back to Green. Just 4 runs and a wicket from this over.

At 134.6 kph, this is bashed on a length, outside off. Rishabh Pant advances down the track and thrashes it to deep point but there is protection in the form of Kartik Tyagi. Just a single.

Fuller on off, Pooran presses forward and eases it wide of point for a single.

Length ball from around the wicket, 137.5 kph, angled in at the batter. Pooran hops up and tucks the bat close to his body to defend.

A crucial breakthrough for KKR. That brings Nicholas Pooran out to the middle now.

OUT! A SPECTACULAR CATCH! Rinku Singh cannot do anything wrong in this match and one can see how much it means to Cameron Green and KKR. On a fractionally fuller length, on the off stump line. Aiden Markram gets on the front foot and tries to clear the long off fence, but seemingly does not hit it off the middle of the bat. The ball still has the wheels to clear the ropes, but Rinku comes charging across to his right from long off and plucks it. But as soon as he realises that the momentum is taking him over the ropes, he lobs the ball up in the air, balances himself nicely, comes back in the playing area and takes it in the second attempt. The replay shows that no part of his boot is in contact with the ropes while holding the ball. Not the tallest man out there, is Rinku, but he always is a live-wire in the field. Lucknow Super Giants are 65/2 as the dangerous Aiden Markram walks back to the hut.

Is that a clean grab? If it is, then Rinku Singh has pulled off a blinder here. He looks very confident and the third umpire is called upon. The replay shows that Rinku has kept his foot inside the ropes before releasing the ball and it is a fair catch. Markram has to walk back.

Slightly fuller by Green, outside off. Markram plays from the crease and chips it wide of extra cover. Rinku Singh runs to his left from long off and cuts it off. Two taken.

The pace-off delivery, into the pitch, outside off at just 118.1 kph. Markram stands tall and scythes it to sweeper cover for a single. At halfway, Lucknow Super Giants are 63/1, needing 93 runs from 60 balls.

Beaten by bounce and pace! Well-directed short delivery, just outside off. Aiden arches back and tries to unleash the upper cut, but misses to put his bat on the ball. Good heat from Kartik so far. All of his balls have clocked above 145 kph.

Hard length, angled around off, at 148.9 kph. Pant weighs on the back foot and pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

FOUR! Signature Pant stroke! A bit too full, on the leg stump line. Rishabh Pant crouches a bit and gets under the ball nicely before whipping it behind square. Hits it a bit uppishly and into the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.

Back of a length, on middle, Pant stays put and dinks it to mid-wicket.

Begins with a hard length ball, angled from middle to off. Rishabh Pant charges down the track and stays leg side to thrash it over the in-field on the off side, but toe ends it to mid off.

Strategic Break! Despite losing a wicket, Lucknow Super Giants have done well through Aiden Markram and Rishabh Pant to steady the ship. Even though the boundaries may be hard to come by, they have done well to rotate strike and run the game along. LSG know that if they keep wickets in hand, even if the asking rate goes up slightly, they can manage it. Kolkata Knight Riders have done well to keep the runs in check, but they have to pick up wickets to make a game out of this one. Here is Kartik Tyagi to bowl after the break.

Fuller ball, on off, Rishabh strides forward and uses his wrists to drive it down to long on for an easy single. So 10 runs from Varun's second over. His figures read 2-0-15-0 so far. LSG need 99 from 66 balls.

Short, around off, Pant hangs deep inside the crease and chop-cuts it to backward point.

From around the stump. Full, around off, sliding in. Pant clips it across to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Pushed fuller, on off, Aiden drives it with a straight bat for a single at long off.

SIX! Clean strike! A googly from Varun, full on middle. Aiden Markram picks the variation nicely, gets the front leg out of the way, and dumps it beyond the ropes behind long on for half a dozen. 50 UP FOR LSG!

Flat, full, on middle. Markram is hurried on the front foot and drills it back to Varun.

Full and on middle and leg, Aiden Markram drills this down to long on for one.

A bit too close to cut. Flatter and a tad short on off, Aiden Markram backs away and looks to cut this square on off but gets it away off the inner half of his bat to covers for no run.

Drags the length back, on the pads, Pant stands tall and whips this to deep mid-wicket and collects one more run.

Floated onto the pads, Aiden Markram flicks this down to long on for a single.

A tad fuller, around the pads, Rishabh Pant hits this well towards the right of deep square leg for one more.

Short of a length, around off, spinning away from the batter. Aiden Markram backs away and pushes this to the left of long off for a run.

Still crawling run-a-ball, LSG. They need 114 runs from 78 balls. Switch of ends for Sunil Narine. 1-0-8-0 so far. He replaces Vaibhav Arora.

Googly, around off, Rishabh Pant gets on top of the bounce and blocks this out.

Quicker one, on the pads, Aiden leg glances this to fine leg for a single.

WIDE! Fired down the leg side, Aiden Markram goes for a flick, looking for runs but misses out. Wide called.

Floated onto the pads, Aiden Markram tucks this to mid-wicket for a dot.

Short of a length, wide outside off, Rishabh Pant slaps this towards sweeper cover for another run.

Googly on the pads, Aiden Markram pushes this down to long on for one more.

Quicker and fuller around off, Rishabh Pant strides out in front and guides this towards the fielder at short third for a single.

That's the end of the Powerplay. A sluggish one for LSG, but more importantly, they have lost just 1 wicket. At the same stage, KKR were 31/3. Kolkata Knight Riders use their Impact Sub option by bringing in Varun Chakaravarthy, while subbing Angkrish Raghuvanshi out. Rinku is off the field as well, for some reason. Varun Chakaravarthy is straight into the attack, replacing Sunil Narine.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi is substituted by Varun Chakaravarthy

FOUR! A boundary to close the Powerplay. Pitched up, a bit too straight on middle and leg, Aiden Markram picks it up with a flick and hits this over the mid on fielder for a boundary. LSG score 37 off the first 6 overs for the loss of 1 wicket.

Short-pitched delivery, around off, Rishabh Pant gets up on his toes and dabs to extra cover for a single.

Varun Chakaravarthy is warming up near the KKR dugout. As expected, he will be their impact sub and might come in very soon.

Good length, on middle and leg, Aiden Markram rolls this to long on and takes a single.

Back of a length, around off, Aiden Markram presses onto his front foot and punches this to extra cover.

Full and around off, Rishabh Pant gets on the front foot and drives this to deep point for a run.

Good length, on middle and leg, Rishabh Pant looks to flick this in the air but gets an inside edge onto his pads. The ball drops short of the bowler.

Change? No. Vaibhav Arora to continue. 2-0-6-1 so far.

A quicker carrom-ball, in the line of the stumps. Pant backs away and helps this through point for a single.

Quicker one, on off, Aiden Markram casually flicks this through mid on for an easy rotation of strike.

Fuller around the pads, Rishabh Pant smashes this to deep backward square leg for one.

FOUR! Hit well in the gap for four. Short of a length, on middle and leg, Rishabh Pant goes deep inside the crease and pulls this flat through the mid-wicket and square leg gap for a boundary.

Short of a length, on off, Rishabh Pant cuts this to backward point for no run.

Quicker one, on middle and leg, Aiden Markram flicks this through short fine leg for a single.

Lucknow Super Giants need 134 runs from 96 balls. And it is now time for spin as Sunil Narine is brought on. He replaces Cameron Green.

Pulls his length back a bit, on middle, Aiden Markram clips it to mid-wicket for one more.

Fuller again and on off, Rishabh Pant drills it to mid off for one.

Good stop, but overthrows! Pitched up and around off, Rishabh Pant takes a stride out and drives it firmly wide of cover. Angkrish Raghuvanshi dives to his right and makes a fine diving stop. He gets up and throws it at the batter's end but Markram is comfortably in before the stumps are hit. The ball then deflects away to the square leg region, allowing the batters to get the second run.

So close! Full again and on middle and off, shapes in a touch, Rishabh Pant looks to drive but gets an inside edge just past the leg stump, rolling to short fine leg.

Touch fuller, on middle, attacks the stumps, Rishabh Pant knocks it towards mid on.

Good length and on off, keeps a bit low, Aiden Markram steers it away towards point for a single.

A low full toss, on middle, angling in, Aiden Markram gets his bat down and drills it to long on for one more.

Back of a length and on off, Rishabh Pant opens the bat face and runs it down to deep third for a single.

Short of a length and on middle, Rishabh Pant does not have much room to work with and pats it down the pitch.

SIX! Gets hold of that one! Pitched up and on middle, angling in a bit. Rishabh Pant charges down the track, stays leg side of the ball and launches it over the long on fence for a biggie.

Full again and on off, Rishabh Pant drives it firmly wide of mid off. Rovman Powell dives to his left and makes a good stop.

Fuller in length and on off, Rishabh Pant pushes it away to short cover.

Manish Pandey is in as a substitute fielder for Rovman Powell. But Powell is looking better now and looks ready to take the field. Cameron Green is called into the attack now, replacing Anukul Roy.

Keeps the length on the shorter side, around off, Aiden Markram stabs it out but straight to cover-point. Just one run and a wicket from the over!

Hits the deck hard, on off, gets some extra bounce, Rishabh Pant rides it well and punches it through cover-point for a run.

Good length and on middle, Rishabh Pant steps across and clips it to short mid-wicket.

Short of a length and on off, Rishabh Pant dabs it down to point.

Back of a length and around off, angling away, Rishabh Pant leaves it alone.

That was a screamer of a catch from Powell, but he seems to have hurt himself in the process. He is down on the ground and is in pain as he landed hard on his left hip. He is now walking gingerly off the field, helped by his physio. Rishabh Pant is the new batter in at number 3.

OUT! TAKEN! Looks like Rovman Powell has hurt his hip, but he has managed to hold on to a stunner here. Vaibhav Arora begins with a hard-length delivery, around off, skids through. Mitchell Marsh looks to take it on and goes for the heave across the line but his bat turns in his hand. The ball slices off the outer half of the bat and spoons high up towards mid on. Powell tries to get under it by running backwards but turns the wrong way completely. However, he changes direction but keeps his eyes locked on the ball like a hawk and flings to the other side to take a fantastic catch, to his left, landing hard on his hip. LSG are 8/1, chasing 156.

LSG need 148 from 114 balls. Vaibhav Arora to share the new ball.

FOUR! Spoils the over a bit! Anukul Roy bowls this short again and around off. Aiden Markram quickly goes on the back foot and punches it with sweet timing past the diving extra cover fielder for a boundary. 8 runs off the first over.

Shorter in length and on middle, Mitchell Marsh moves back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Flatter, full and on leg, Aiden Markram tucks it to deep mid-wicket for another run.

Slows it up, full and on off, Aiden Markram taps it to cover.

Dragged back, on middle, Mitchell Marsh clips it uppishly but safely through mid-wicket for a run.

LSG are underway in the chase! Anukul Roy starts with a floater, short and around leg, Aiden Markram flicks it off the back foot through square leg for a single.

A bit of anti-climax, but nothing to take away from Rinku Singh. Digvesh fires it flat and quick, but down leg. Rinku shuffles a long way across to the off side to play the sweep shot, but seems to have missed it. Pant fails to gather it behind the stumps, but the ball rolls in his vicinity. Wide is not given. And Rinku sends it upstairs to challenge the on-field decision. Rinku had moved well across his stumps, so the question is whether the ball would still have been down leg from his original stance. The on-field umpire reckons that yes, it would have. Wide not upheld on that count. But UltraEdge shows there is a clear spike as the ball passes the glove. So it is a fair delivery. 26 runs from the last over and KKR finish strongly at 155/7.

Another review. Wow, it seems like the wide isn't given and Rinku Singh has reviewed it again. At first, everyone just assumed it was a wide call and were gearing up to go again, but the umpire gave it as a fair delivery. The third umpire is called in to have a look. He finds that the batter has moved a bit but the ball is still significantly down the leg side. Next up, UltraEdge is checked and there is a bit of a murmur as the ball passes the gloves. It remains a fair delivery.

SIX! Make that four in a row for Rinku. Haven't we seen this before? Digvesh switches to around the wicket, but it makes no difference to Rinku. Full toss around off, and Rinku swings as hard as he can, clearing the cow corner fence for six. Digvesh has been taken to the cleaners. 150 UP FOR KKR!

SIX! Hat trick of biggies from Rinku as he unleashes himself in the last over. Fired full and outside off. Rinku shuffles across and crouches low to get under it, gets a nice piece and the ball sails comfortably over the long on fence for six.

SIX MORE! Floated up into the slot outside off. Rinku goes through the line and creams it over deep extra cover. Mukul Choudhary is stationed a good 10 yards inside the fence for some reason and the ball sails over him for a six.

SIX! Clears the ropes, just! Dropped on the shorter side, sliding outside off. Rinku Singh lets the wrong'un turn away and swats it just over the long on fielder for a six. Didn't time it well enough, but had sufficient wood on it to sail it over.

WIDE! The review works in favour of the batting team. This is dropped a bit short and it is the googly that is darted well across the off stump. Rinku Singh lets it go in hopes of a wide call but doesn't get it. He takes the review and the third umpire finds that there's no part of the ball passing inside the guideline and the on-field decision is overturned.

Quicker and flatter, drifting across the batter. Rinku flat-bats it but mistimes the shot towards mid-wicket but they do not run.

WIDE! Seeing Rinku walking across the stumps, Digvesh fires a googly wide outside the tramline, trying to keep it away from the arc. Rinku leaves. Pant collects to his left by getting low.

Who will bowl the final over of the innings? It will be Digvesh Singh.

Fuller than a good length, angled away outside off at 124.7 kph. Rinku swings hard but does not find the timing, and the ball rolls away to long on. They stroll in for a single. 17 runs from the penultimate over. A very profitable one for KKR.

Too full, tailing in at the leg stump, Narine stands deep in his crease and digs it out towards long on for one.

He backs a long way outside leg and seeing that, Shami fires it full, on off. Singh reaches out by bending and carves it to deep cover for a single.

FOUR MORE! Rinku is cutting loose now. Half-tracker angled in at the body, with the pace taken off. Rinku picks it up from just below chest height and helps it away to the deep fine leg boundary.

FOUR! FIFTY FOR RINKU SINGH! His 6th IPL half century. Well-constructed one from him. A half-volley outside off. Rinku Singh waits for the ball to come and hammers it through the covers for a boundary. Back-to-back 50s for Rinku and he has found form just at the right time for his side.

SIX! A gift and Rinku accepts it gleefully. A thigh-high full toss from Shami, on the stumps. Rinku exposes the stumps to create room and smashes it cleanly over deep extra cover for a six.

Mohammad Shami to bowl out as well? Yes. This means if we go to the last over, LSG might have to turn to a spinner to close out the innings.

Whoa! That's a projectile from Prince! A well-directed short ball, it catches Rinku by surprise. He fends it awkwardly to the off side and they cross over for one.

FOUR! Much needed for KKR! Takes pace off by rolling his fingers and goes short on leg. Rinku Singh has all the time in the world as he pulls it behind square on the leg side, into the long leg region for a boundary.

Low full toss at the pads, flicked to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Short ball, with pace taken off, over the top of middle. Sunil Narine sways away from the line and drops his wrists to leave.

And this time, he crosses strike over. A length ball into the bodyline, Rinku shuffles and glances it towards deep backward square leg for one.

Slower one, on a length, on leg. Rinku crouches and pulls it to deep backward square leg but denies for a single.

Three overs left in the first innings. Manish Pandey is still warming up near the boundary line, waiting to come on as an Impact Player, if needed. Rishabh Pant has a couple of overs of pace left, and it will be Prince Yadav to continue for now.

Full, outside off, driven to deep cover for a run.

Risky running! Shami bowls a low full toss, on off. Rinku Singh advances down the pitch to thrash it past covers, but gets an inside edge. The ball rolls past the leg stump to deep fine leg. The batters charge for the second but Rinku is forced to put on the afterburners as the throw from the deep is flat and almost perfect towards the keeper. Pant collects and deflects it on the stumps, but the replay shows that Rinku has just made his ground in the nick of time.

Is that a run-out? Rinku Singh desperately wanted the second run and Rishabh Pant's done well to dislodge the bails here, but Rinku is well in.

At 137.7 kph, this is short at shoulder height. Rinku pulls it staight to Markram at mid-wicket.

Full on the stumps, Rinku blocks it back at the bowler.

Hits the deck hard, on middle. Sunil Narine looks to flick it to the leg side, but closes the bat face early and gets a leading edge over the bowler's head for a single.

Back of a length, from around the stump, outside off. Rinku steers it to deep third for a run.

Good length, on the pads, Rinku Singh works this through mid-wicket and takes a single to close the over.

Yorker on off, Sunil Narine jams this around silly mid off and takes a single. Prince Yadav fields this in his followthrough and has a go at the non-striker's end but misses the stumps.

Hard length, around off, Sunil Narine stays leg side and pokes at it away from his body but gets beaten.

Good length, around the pads, Rinku Singh flicks this to the fine leg region for a single.

Bumper, down the leg side, Rinku Singh looks to hook this towards fine leg but gets it chopped off the under-edge back to Pant behind the stumps.

FOUR! A crafty touch by Rinku to add four to the total. On a length, wide of off, angling across the left-hander. Rinku Singh stays deep inside the crease and opens his bat face to guide this through the gap between short third and backward point for four.

Another one comes and goes. Sunil Narine is the new batter in at number 9.

OUT! CAUGHT! Linde has his first now as Ramandeep falls. Flighted delivery, around off, Ramandeep Singh goes down on a knee and looks to take on 'The Bison' at long on. Ramandeep Singh fails to get right underneath this and ends up hitting this straight to Mitchell Marsh at long on and he takes it with ease. Kolkata Knight Riders are 93/7.

Slightly short and on off, Ramandeep Singh cuts this to the right of point for no run.

Tossed up, on the pads, Rinku Singh flicks this gently through square leg and jogs to the other end.

Much slower, fuller around off, Rinku Singh backs away to his leg side and cuts this on the bounce to point.

Flighted around off, Ramandeep Singh jumps down the track and drives this through mid off for a single.

Quicker one, on middle and leg, Ramandeep Singh gets right on top of the bounce and dead bats it.

Pushed through on off, Ramandeep Singh goes deep inside the crease and milks this through the mid-wicket region for one more.

Quicker one, on the pads, Rinku Singh tucks this to deep backward square leg for a single.

FOUR! Way too short by Digvesh Singh and outside off, Rinku Singh accepts this width on offer and smashes this up and over the extra cover fielder for four more runs.

FOUR! Rinku connects and finds the boundary this time. Googly, around off, Rinku Singh reads this well and hits this over the fielder at covers for a boundary.

A repeat of the previous delivery. Digvesh Singh bowls this on a short of a length, around off, Rinku Singh goes for a late cut but misses out.

Floated around off, Rinku Singh looks to cut this square on the off side but gets beaten.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Things haven't improved for Kolkata Knight Riders since the last break. In fact, they have lost Cameron Green as well, who showed some positive intent. It all rests on the Rinku-Ramandeep duo to take the innings deep to post something respectable on the board. Narine is yet to bat and everyone knows how dangerous he can be once he gets going. And if need be, Manish Pandey could also come in as their impact sub, but that would come at the expense of leaving out Chakaravarthy. With 7 overs to spare, KKR would still hope to get in the 150-run territory to make a fight out of this. LSG will simply look to break this stand and collapse the spine of this KKR batting order completely. Digvesh Singh (2-0-10-0) to bowl after the break.

An excellent yorker, on off by Yadav and Ramandeep Singh jams this to Himmat Singh at short covers.

Low full toss, on middle and off, Ramandeep Singh helps this to mid-wicket for no run.

Perfect wide yorker, outside off. Ramandeep Singh is a bit late to bring his bat down and it sneaks behind to the keeper, beating his willow, possibly the under edge.

Good length, around middle and off, Rinku Singh guides this to the deep third region for one run.

WIDE! Another short one, that's a bit too high, flies over the head height. Rinku Singh lets it be. Wide again.

WIDE! Bumper, a bit too high for the umpire's liking. Rinku tries his best to play the upper-cut but gets beaten. Wided.

Short and around off, Rinku Singh looks to help this over the short third fielder but misses out.

On a length, around off, Ramandeep Singh dabs this to George Linde at point and looks for a run but is sent back by Rinku. Linde misfields and the batters eventually take the single.

Prince Yadav (1-0-6-0) is brought back on.

Nicely bowled by Markram, another tidy over for him and LSG. Markram slows it up and drifts it onto middle, Rinku Singh stays watchful and smothers it away.

Good length, in and around off, punched off the back foot by Rinku but straight to the point fielder.

Slightly shorter and on leg, Ramandeep hops inside the line and nudges it down to short fine leg for a quick single.

Good, positive running. Flatter delivery on middle, Ramandeep Singh stays compact and hits it into the vast open spaces at mid-wicket and picks up a couple of runs.

Oh, a misfield. Shortish length, wide outside off, Singh reaches out and cuts it to the left of backward point. The fielder moves across and only makes a half-stop, allowing the batter to pick up a run.

Stump-to-stump line, on a length, Rinku Singh presses back and blocks it.

A 5-for for Mohsin. He ends his spell with fantastic numbers of 4-1-23-5. Dream figures for any bowler, especially in the shortest format. Ramandeep Singh is in at number 8. Live visuals also show that Mohsin has gone off the field. LSG have decided to use their Impact Sub option. Himmat Singh replaces Mohsin.

Mohsin Khan is substituted by Himmat Singh

OUT! CAUGHT! Straight to the fielder and Mohsin has a five-wicket haul. Mohsin Khan brings out the subtle change of pace again, bowling it quicker at over 143 clicks. This is fuller and on the pads, and Anukul Roy gets a bit tucked up. Roy tries to flick it away but ends up clipping it uppishly towards short mid-wicket. Ayush Badoni squats down and takes a safe catch there. Golden duck for Anukul and Kolkata Knight Riders are 73/6.

It is going down south for KKR quickly now. They have lost half their side and have absolutely no momentum. Anukul Roy walks in at number 7.

OUT! CAUGHT! Cameron Green was itching to go big on every ball and Mohsin Khan gets his man. Mohsin bowls it back of a length and darts the ball well across the right-hander. Green leans across and tries to drag the big shot across the line, but ends up slicing it off the outer half of the blade. The ball gets lobbed up around the gully region and it is the keeper, Rishabh Pant who calls for it, running to his right and he pouches it with ease.

Hard length around off, Green has a slog across the line but gets it off the inner half of the blade to square leg.

In the air, will land safely. Slightly back of a length, around middle, Cameron Green leans across and gets under it but swings it high and without much timing towards mid-wicket. Prince Yadav and Digvesh Singh converge towards the ball, but again, there's no communication between them and they both just look at each other as the ball lands between them. Green picks up a couple of runs as well.

SIX! Mohsin errs in line and Cameron Green helps himself to six runs. Off pace delivery, on a shortish length and down leg. Green picks it early, gets inside the line and swings it over long leg for a biggie.

Dug in short and outside off, Rinku Singh fetches the ball and pulls it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for one.

Halfway reached. KKR are 64/4, still crawling just above run a ball. They need some big overs to get their innings back on track. Mohsin Khan will bowl out. His figures read 3-1-14-3 so far.

Dragged length around middle, angled into the batter, Singh pushes it down to long on for one more. Just five singles off Markram's first over.

Tight line on off stump, pushed through quicker. Rinku Singh backs away and jams the cut down to short third.

Markram is bowling to his field and making the batters hit to the longer side of the ground. Fuller on the pads. Cameron steers to deep mid-wicket for just one.

Good length outside off, at 89.2 kph, Singh cuts it down through the point region and turns the strike over.

On the leg stump line, Green goes on one knee and hits the sweep flat and hard towards deep square leg for just another single.

Darted in on middle, flatter too, Singh jumps across to the leg side and swats it down to the right of long on for a run.

STRATEGIC BREAK! It's been a difficult ride for the Knight Riders and Raghuvanshi's dismissal is gathering a lot of mixed reactions as well. The pitch is clearly on the slower side, and LSG's bowlers, particularly their frontline attack, were disciplined in keeping it stump to stump, offering the batters very little room to free their arms. However, Green decided to cut loose in the previous over and KKR would hope that was the jailbreak moment for them. More spin deployed. Here's Aiden Markram into the attack.

Flatter, angled into the pads, and stays a shade low. Singh waits back and dabs it past square leg for one more. 16 off Linde's first over.

Linde slows it up and bowls it shortish outside off, Green pats it down through the cover region for a single.

SIX! Back-to-back! Dropped short on middle and leg again, Green picks the length in a trice and rocks back before powering the pull shot over cow corner for another biggie.

SIX! That's a clean strike from Green. Flighted again, fuller too and drifted into middle and leg. Cameron Green clears the front leg and launches it straight back over long on for a biggie. The 50 is now up for KKR.

Floated up, very full and around off, Rinku gets across a bit and works it to wide long on for one more.

Bowls it full and on the stumps, Green flicks it away to deep mid-wicket and rotates strike.

George Linde is introduced into the attack. He replaces Mohsin Khan.

A googly, short at 93.4 kph, on leg. Cameron Green gets across and chips it to the long on region for a single.

Chance? A pretty difficult one though for Pant. Touch short, just outside off. Rinku Singh rocks back and goes for the late cut, but inside edges to the keeper. The ball thuds Pant's right thigh and rolls wide of short fine leg for a single.

Very full, almost at the toes, Rinku flicks it all along the ground in the deep pocket on the leg side, between deep mid-wicket and long on and they hustle back for two.

Flat, full, on leg. Green works it down the ground to long on for a single.

A leggie, full on leg. Green leans on and flicks it to short mid-wicket. Played more off the inside half.

Fuller one, around off. Rinku drives the googly to deep point for a run.

Slows it up, on a length, on middle. Green watchfully taps it back to the bowler. 3-1-14-3 for Mohsin so far.

Short again, around off. Rinku uses his wrists to pull it to deep backward square leg for a single.

FOUR! That's very well played by Rinku! A short-pitched delivery, on middle and leg. Rinku presses back, swivels and pulls it into the deep backward square leg gap for a boundary. Good controlled shot.

At 134.6 kph, this is bashed hard on a length, on top of off. Rinku Singh blocks it back to the bowler.

Nagging length, around off. Rinku dabs it off the back foot to point.

WIDE! Too short and outside off. Rinku Singh stands tall and tries to ramp it over the keeper, but misses. It is called a wide for height.

Rinku Singh walks in with KKR in a bunch of trouble.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! It just keeps getting worse for the Knight Riders. Mohsin is over the moon as he picks up his third wicket. He bangs it short into the pitch, around the ribs of the batter, on the leg stump line. Rovman Powell lines up for the pull shot, but the ball brushes the gloves and Pant gathers it to his left. He appeals for caught behind and up goes the finger. KKR are 31/4 after 6.1 overs.

End of the Powerplay and it has been an outstanding one for LSG as they have restricted KKR to 31 for 3 after the first six overs. The top-order woes for KKR continue as LSG pin them to the wall with the top three back in the dugout. Rahane started with caution but played a false stroke, whereas Tim Seifert just couldn't get going. A controversial dismissal of Angkrish Raghuvanshi, as he was caught obstructing the field, all of this has added to the misery of KKR. On the contrary, LSG would be feeling even more that this is their game to lose from this situation.

A googly, on a length, around off. Green backs away and punches it to cover. KKR are 31/3 at the end of the Powerplay.

Full and on middle, Cameron lofts it down the ground to the left of long on for a couple of runs.

Dropped short on middle, Powell rocks back and hits the pull hard but straight to mid-wicket.

Tossed up, fuller and outside off, blocked off the front foot by Powell.

Wow, another mix-up between the batters and also between the fielder and the keeper. Bowled full on the pads, Rovman Powell clips it straight to short mid-wicket and the batters set off for a single. Prince Yadav picks up the ball and is caught between two thoughts - whether to throw the ball to the bowler or to go for the run out himself. He tries to do the first one but Digvesh isn't anywhere near the stumps. Then Prince just tries to run in and dislodge the bails with the ball in hand but ends up flicking it past the stumps as Green makes his way back.

Starts with a short one around off, Cameron Green rocks back and punches it down with a straight bat, towards mid off and gets a single.

What a big call that is from the third umpire and Angkrish Raghuvanshi is completely baffled. Rovman Powell walks out to bat at number 5 and Angkrish shows his frustration even as he makes his way into the dug-out. A decision that will certainly be debated by many, but for now, let's get back to the action. Also, Digvesh Singh comes into the attack now.

OUT! RAGHUVANSHI IS GONE! This will raise a lot of eyebrows and will be debated about as well. Keeps the stumps in play, does Prince, on a good length. Angkrish Raghuvanshi nudges it off the front foot to the mid on region and looks to cross over. He is sent back from more than halfway as the mid on fielder is quick to get rid of the ball to the batting end. Raghuvanshi turns to scramble back but gets in the way of the throw as he changes direction, making a big U-turn. He dives to make his ground and the ball strikes his left foot. LSG are going upstairs, appealing for obstructing the field. The on-field umpires refer to the TV umpire, who feels that Raghuvanshi changed his direction intentionally and obstructed the field and is deemed out. Angkrish Raghuvanshi walks off the field and is absolutely fuming. Glum faces in the KKR dugout as they just cannot believe what happened out there.

Another one that jags back in, good length, on off. Cameron Green plays from the crease and steers it off the inner half to widish mid-wicket for a run.

Nip-backer on a length, angling from middle to leg. Angkrish Raghuvanshi walks ahead to negate the movement and tries to clip it to the leg side. Gets an inside edge instead. The ball deflects off the pads and rolls in front of cover for a single.

On the stumps, touch full, Angkrish Raghuvanshi tilts forward and flicks it to mid-wicket.

Back of a length, on middle. Cameron nudges it to the mid-wicket region for a single.

Full and straight on middle. Cameron Green tucks it to deep backward square leg for a couple of runs.

WIDE! On a good length, down the leg side.

FOUR! Glorious by Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Good length, around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi gets right on top of the bounce and punches this off his front foot through the left of covers for a boundary. First four of the game.

Hard length, on off, Cameron Green dabs this through short third for a single.

KKR lose both their openers yet again in the Powerplay. The towering figure of Cameron Green is in at number 4.

OUT! CAUGHT! Double delight for Mohsin as he gets his second of the evening. On a length, around middle and off, shaping a hint away from the batter. Ajinkya Rahane shuffles away to his leg side and looks to hit this down to long on but gets outdone by the away swing and miscues this off the cue end towards mid off. Aiden Markram settles himself underneath it and takes it nice and easy.

Good length, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi pushes this towards covers and takes another single.

Around that nagging length by Mohsin, on top of off, angling across the batter. Ajinkya Rahane gently places this to the left of backward point and rotates the strike.

Good length, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi opens his bat face and guides this to the third man region for one run.

Good length, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi guides this to the deep third region for a single.

A risky single and that is a byproduct of this slow start. Hard length, on off, Ajinkya Rahane prods onto the front foot and dabs this in front of Mukul at covers and sets off for a single. Mukul has a go at the stumps towards the bowler's end with an underarm throw but misses by some distance.

Excellent comeback from Shami. Seam up, around off, a bit fuller. Ajinkya Rahane steps down the deck to cut the swing on offer but gets beaten on the inside edge as it swings back into him.

SIX! Deposited in the stands. It was six the moment he hit it. On a length, around off, Ajinkya Rahane clears the front foot and launches this over the cow corner fence for a biggie.

Good length, on middle and leg, Angkrish Raghuvanshi presses onto his front foot and tucks this through square leg to get off the mark with one.

Short of a good length outside off, Rahane looks to clip through the leg side, but gets an inside edge onto the back pad. It deflects away towards backward point for a single.

KKR's woes in the Powerplay continue this season. Another opening stand broken cheaply. In walks Angkrish Raghuvanshi at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT! Khan strikes first for LSG and is joyous. On a length, around off, shaping a hint away from the right-hander. Tim Seifert looks to take on the ring of fielders on the off side and goes through with a lofted drive. Fails to get the timing right and ends up miscuing it from the bottom of his bat to Mukul Choudhary at short cover. Perhaps the ball held up a touch on the surface. Mukul takes the catch watchfully around his left shoulder with a reverse cup. Back-to-back ducks for Seifert. KKR are 3/1.

BEATEN! This is angled across the right hander, on a good length, outside off. Tim Seifert stays put and tries to steer it away to the off side but plays inside the line and is beaten on the outside edge by a whisker.

Full and around off, Tim Seifert drives this crisply towards mid off for a dot.

LEG BYE! Hard length, on middle and off, straightening a bit after pitching. Ajinkya Rahane goes for a wild slog across the line but gets beaten on the inside edge and is rapped on the back thigh. A loud appeal for LBW as the batters cross for a leg bye. It is turned down by the on-field umpire. Pant sends this upstairs for a review, only to see the ball being pitched outside leg on the Ball Tracking. On-field decision of not out stays.

Rahane is putting himself under immense pressure by playing all these dots and hogging the strike. Pitched up, on middle and off, Ajinkya Rahane thumps this back to the bowler.

Back of a length, around off, Ajinkya Rahane dabs this straight to point for another dot.

That was an excellent opening over from Shami. Mohsin Khan will share the new ball from the opposite end.

A bit closer to the batter, around off, shaping away from him. Rahane plays the square drive towards deep backward point and takes a single to get off the mark.

A tad too full, around off, Ajinkya Rahane drives this to the left of George Linde at point and he does well to put in a dive and field it.

Good review by LSG! A dicey call by the umpire, and one believes that the noise from the crowd played its part here. It is too loud out there. There was a definite sound as the ball went past the batter's pad. On a length, down the leg, going further down. Ajinkya Rahane goes for a flick but misses out. Pant moves to his left and gathers this but is sent in disbelief as the umpire calls it a wide. Pant sends this upstairs for a review and the UltraEdge shows a spike off the front pad of Rahane. The on-field decision is overturned. It is a fair delivery.

WIDE! Shami errs in line a bit. Gets a huge inswing that curves down leg on a good length. The ball beats Rahane on his attempted flick and the umpire signals for a wide.

On a length, wide of off, once again the ball is shaping away from Rahane. The KKR skipper just guides this to backward point.

Shami drags the length back a shade and bowls it on a good length, around off, but shapes it away from the batter. Rahane defends this right underneath his eyeline.

Swing on display straightaway by Shami. Fuller one, shaping away from the batter, Ajinkya Rahane gets right on top of the bounce and blocks this around mid on.

All set to get going in the City of Nawabs. Out walk the two umpires. Rishabh Pant has his men in the huddle before the Super Giants spread throughout the field. Ajinkya Rahane walks out with Tim Seifert to open the innings for KKR. Mohammad Shami has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. A slip is in position and it will be Shami vs Rahane first up. Here we go!

Back to the original pair? It looks like LSG will reset and go back with their designated opening pair of Marsh and Markram, while Badoni might be pushed back into the middle order. Also, they fielded only three overseas players against Rajasthan Royals, but Linde comes in this time, perhaps brought in to exploit the slowish conditions. He could also offer a handy match-up against a KKR batting order that has a lot of right-handers.

The fortress is breached - After winning two back-to-back games in Chepauk, CSK couldn't make it a hat trick of wins in front of their home crowd. In the afternoon game, Gujarat Titans beat them by 8 wickets with 20 balls to spare. The result lifts Gujarat to fifth in the table, while CSK slip to sixth, suffering their fifth defeat in eight games.

Impact sub options for LSG - Himmat Singh, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Abdul Samad, Avesh Khan and Manimaran Siddharth.

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI) - Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Mukul Choudhary, George Linde (In for Manimaran Siddharth), Mohammad Shami, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Singh and Mohsin Khan.

Impact sub options for KKR - Manish Pandey, Finn Allen, Tejasvi Singh, Navdeep Saini and Varun Chakaravarthy.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Unchanged Playing XI) - Ajinkya Rahane (C), Tim Seifert (WK), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora and Kartik Tyagi.

The captain of Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane mentions that they were looking to bat first. The reason for that, he says, they wanted to give the batting unit the freedom to go out and express themselves. On conditions, Rahane says the priority right now is assessing how the team is functioning as a unit. Mentions that the bowling unit has come together nicely in the last few games. Informs that they are going unchanged. On the week-long break, Rahane calls it much-needed. Adds the win before the break was important for morale. Also shares that the last two to three days were spent sitting together as a group, reflecting on the first seven games, identifying what went right and where they can improve. Adds that the practice sessions have been good, and he is looking forward to the game.

The captain of Lucknow Super Giants - Rishabh Pant says they want to see what the target is and get the answers as a batting group. On the team changes, Pant informs that George Linde comes in for Manimaran Siddharth. On leading a group with so many experienced heads, Pant is measured about that. Says when there are a lot of leaders in the side, the challenge is finding a way to win together. He feels they are getting close to cracking that and stresses the need to stick together and turn things around. He is confident that it will happen.

TOSS - It is time for the coin to go up in Lucknow. Both captains - Rishabh Pant and Ajinkya Rahane are out in the middle with their team sheets exchanged. Anjum Chopra will lead the proceedings. Pant will give it a flick and Rahane calls Heads. It lands as Tails. Lucknow Super Giants have elected to BOWL first.

A word from The Bison - LSG's Mitchell Marsh, on the batting challenges, humorously acknowledges that his current strike rate is reminiscent of his father's playing days, noting it as an area for improvement. Marsh admits the batting unit has struggled to find a consistent rhythm but emphasises a strategy to maximise the Powerplay. On Justin Langer's comparison of this pitch to the WACA, Marsh is not quite ready to go that far. He says he has enjoyed batting here and while it is a big ground, the boundaries are still reasonably compact by global standards. He feels that good cricket shots get rewarded. Mentions that it can take a little time to get in, but once a batter does, it is a great surface to play. He is hopeful of some strong partnerships tonight. On the opening combination for LSG, Marsh deflects with a grin, saying those conversations are a little above his pay grade at this franchise. He is not fussed about who he walks out with. Says whoever it is, the goal is simple - to get off to the best possible start and make an impact.

What's going on in Chennai? In the afternoon game between CSK and GT at Chepauk, the Gujarat Titans are inching closer to a win. They were asked to chase a middling total of 159 runs. And once again, the top three of the Titans are proving too hot to handle for the opposition. Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler are guiding their side to an away win. As per the latest reports, the Titans need just 30 runs in the last 6 overs. As we wait for the toss from this game, you can catch all the updates from that match by simply switching tabs. 

PITCH REPORT - Deep Dasgupta is pitchside in Lucknow. He straightaway shares that the Ekana Stadium is the lowest scoring venue so far in this IPL season, with the average first inning score around 155-160. Informs that the square boundaries are 64 meters and 69 meters respectively, while it is 73 meters straight down the ground. Also informs that it is a black soil strip and is being used for the first time this year. Simon Katich joins him with his analysis and observes that there are jigsaw cracks on pitch number 6 (the one being used for this game). He reckons that because of that, there might be variable bounce for the pacers. Katich then breaks down the difference between red-soil and black-soil surfaces, using the LSG versus Rajasthan Royals game, played on a red-soil pitch, as his reference point. On red soil, he explains, there is, on average, 9 centimetres more bounce, and that extra bounce caused problems for batters the other night, with the odd short ball and bouncer finding the deeper pockets out square. On this black-soil surface, Katich expects the bounce to be a little lower and a touch variable. Feels that there won't be much bounce and could be the difference maker. Also notes that 8 of the last 11 matches in Lucknow have been won by the chasing side. Adds that LSG bucked that trend the other night, but Katich feels their approach in the first ten overs needs a rethink. He underlines that they have plenty of overseas firepower, but by going too hard too early, they have not been able to use it at the back end of the innings. Deep Dasgupta also reaffirms that this doesn't look like a high-scoring pitch because of those cracks and is a bit tacky in nature as well. Ends by saying that the captain who wins the toss would like to chase.

Tactical outlook - Tactically, the game may be decided by how well the spinners, Narine and Varun Chakravarthy for KKR versus the LSG slow-bowling unit, can control the middle overs. Being the lone frontline spinner, a lot will depend on Digvesh Singh to turn the screws in his side's favor. Given the recent trends at this venue, the captain winning the toss might prefer to bowl first to gauge the surface behavior under lights. Stay tuned for toss and team news. 

KKR’s high-price pressure - For KKR, the 2026 season has been a story of unmet expectations following another record-breaking auction. Despite investing heavily in Cameron Green and Matheesha Pathirana, the team has struggled to find a winning formula. Their silver lining has been the emergence of youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who currently leads their scoring charts with 200 runs. KKR’s main weakness has been their bowling at the death, which has repeatedly allowed games to slip away, and the intent with which the top order has played in the Powerplay. To turn things around, they will rely on the spin wizardry of Sunil Narine, who is just two wickets away from reaching the historic 200-wicket milestone in the IPL and Varun Chakaravarthy as well.

LSG’s quest for clinical execution - The primary issue for the Rishabh Pant-led LSG has been a lack of cohesion in their batting. While Mitchell Marsh has provided some spark at the top with over 200 runs this season, the team has failed to post or chase competitive totals, recently being bundled out for just 119 against Rajasthan. Their strength remains their experienced pace attack, led by Mohammed Shami, who has been one of the top Powerplay wicket-takers this year. However, they need more from the likes of Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram with the bat, if they are to exploit the tricky, two-paced nature of their home turf in Lucknow. Also, the coaching staff of Lucknow Super Giants might be feeling the need to reconsider bringing Aiden Markram back at the top as a promotion for Ayush Badoni has not done any good to either LSG or Ayush himself.

A battle to avoid the basement - Hello and welcome to all the fans of this beautiful game, tuning in. Match 38 of the ongoing IPL will be played between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders, who find themselves languishing at the bottom of the table, occupying 9th and 10th positions respectively. For LSG, a once-promising start has crumbled into a worrying four-match losing streak, while KKR has struggled for any consistent momentum, managing just a single victory from their first seven games. With the playoffs quickly moving out of reach, this match represents a must-win for both camps to avoid being close to be the first to fall out of contention.

... MATCHDAY ...

One step forward? Match 38 of the Indian Premier League 2026 brings a clash between two sides searching for answers, as Lucknow Super Giants host Kolkata Knight Riders at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. LSG have just two wins in seven games and are stuck in a four-match losing streak, while KKR finally tasted victory in their last outing and will be eager to climb off the bottom. Interestingly, Lucknow's last win came against Kolkata in a thriller, a game that saw the emergence of Mukul Choudhary, whose unbeaten 54 off 27 sealed it but since then, it's been a downward spiral. LSG's batting under the scanner - Lucknow's struggles have largely stemmed from inconsistent batting. Mitchell Marsh has been decent with 210 runs in 7 games but hasn't quite hit top gear, while Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni and skipper Rishabh Pant have chipped in without producing a collective effort. Pant's strike rate of 132.43 in the middle order hasn't quite lifted the tempo when needed. The constant chopping and changing at the top, coupled with regular Powerplay wickets, has only made things worse. The biggest disappointment has been Nicholas Pooran, managing just 73 runs in 7 games, while Abdul Samad has blown hot and cold. Their last outing summed it up - bowled out for 119 chasing 160. Bowling keeping them in the fight - However, the bowling unit has kept them competitive. Mohammad Shami has been sharp with the new ball, picking up 7 wickets at an economy of 8, while Prince Yadav has been a revelation with 13 wickets, nailing yorkers at the death. Mohsin Khan impressed in the last game, even bowling a maiden to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and dismissing him, showcasing his ability with the new ball. The spin department, though, hasn't quite delivered, with Digvesh Singh less effective than last season and Manimaran Siddharth inconsistent. KKR's flicker of hope - Kolkata Knight Riders finally got their first win of the season against Rajasthan Royals, the same side that beat Lucknow in their last game, underlining the unpredictable nature of the league. But their issues remain similar, especially in the Powerplay, where they've lost three wickets in consecutive games. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane started well but has since struggled, registering back-to-back ducks. Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been their standout batter and the only one to hit 200 runs this season, while Cameron Green finding some rhythm with the bat is a positive, even if his bowling remains patchy. Combination puzzle - The opening combination remains unsettled with Finn Allen and Tim Seifert not quite clicking, and with Matheesha Pathirana joining the squad, changes could be on the cards, including pushing Sunil Narine up the order. Another option could be tweaking the middle order, though the inclusion of Rovman Powell has brought better balance. Rinku Singh has been struggling but found form with a match-winning fifty in the last game, which should boost his confidence. Anukul Roy also played a crucial cameo and has contributed well with the ball, while Ramandeep Singh remains inconsistent, with a debut for someone like Tejasvi Singh or Sarthak Ranjan a possibility. Spin holds the key - With the ball, Kartik Tyagi has been their standout, consistently touching 150 kph and picking up 8 wickets, while Vaibhav Arora has taken wickets but at a high economy. The real strength lies in spin. Sunil Narine has been exceptional with an economy of just 6.82, while Varun Chakravarthy rediscovered his touch with a brilliant 3/14 against RR. When these two strike in tandem, KKR tend to control games and often win them. Home woes continues - The Ekana Cricket Stadium has offered a different challenge this season, with the average first innings score hovering just above 154. Pacers have picked up the bulk of wickets, making early breakthroughs crucial. Interestingly, Lucknow are yet to win at home this season, adding another layer of pressure. Form (Last 5 completed IPL games, recent first) - LSG - LLLLW | KKR - WLLLL. A chance to turn it around -  Lucknow lead the head-to-head 5-2 and will look to complete the double, but form is hardly on their side. Kolkata, with a win finally under their belt, have a chance to build momentum and climb out of the bottom. Two struggling teams, one opportunity and sometimes all it takes is one game to turn a season around.