LSG vs PBKS IPL 2026: Ayush Badoni dazzled in sublime form during the IPL 2026 clash against the Punjab Kings. He hammered 43 runs off 18 balls, launching three sixes and cracking five fours while racing to a strike rate of 238.89. Just as he threatened a well-deserved fifty, Prabsimran Singh intervened with a brilliant fielding effort. The drama unfolded in the seventh over, bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal, who fired a flatter delivery that Badoni mistimed. Badoni hesitated, lifting his leg, and Prabsimran seized the moment—whipping off the bails while Badoni’s foot hovered in the air. The commentator branded this dismissal a 'schoolboy error.'
PBKS won the toss and opted to bowl first against the Lucknow-based franchise. The action unfolds in Lucknow.
If the host clinches victory, they will finish their campaign on a high note. If the Shreyas Iyer-led side stumbles, they will exit the playoff race.
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But even if they triumph, it won't propel them into the playoffs, as teams like the Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Delhi Capitals persist in the playoff hunt.
At the toss, LSG skipper Rishabh Pant said the pitch looked batters-friendly and that they wanted to post a mammoth target, and even he would have chosen to bowl first. He also said they had made two changes to their playing XI, with Arjun Tendulkar and Arshin Kulkarni in their last group-stage match.
"We would have bowled first as well. This wicket is good for cricket, whether for 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 there's also been a lot of learning, both for the team and personally. I want to apologize to the fans; they have come from all over UP. Their support has been incredible, and we feel their expectations weighing on us. It's been tough going for us, but we'll give our 100% today," Rishabh Pant was heard as saying at the toss.
Post winning the toss, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer also revealed that they had two changes in the playing XI. "We will bowl first. Two changes - Marco and Vyshak are in. The 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 anxiously, eager to prove themselves and make their supporters proud."