Marco Jansen and Vyshak Vijaykumar have been drafted into the Punjab Kings lineup for their Indian Premier League 2026 showdown against Lucknow Super Giants at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday. Lucknow won the toss and captain Shreyas Iyer opted to field first, setting up a high-pressure, must-win night for PBKS.
Punjab Kings head into the encounter after a run of six straight matches without a win, yet they remain in the playoff hunt if they can register a victory over LSG. Even with a win, their qualification would depend on improving their standing relative to Kolkata Knight Riders on net run rate, and they would also need Rajasthan Royals to be held back by Mumbai Indians later on Sunday afternoon.
In the earlier league meeting this season, Punjab Kings had beaten Lucknow Super Giants by 54 runs at New Chandigarh. Following that form, Iyer spoke about the intensity of the situation after winning the toss, saying it feels suddenly exciting to be in a do-or-die scenario and that it is essentially a must-win game for them. He added that he is looking forward to the challenge and admitted he has never been in a situation like this in the points table, though the squad is extremely energized and eager to see how the day ends.
LSG skipper’s view
Lucknow captain Rishabh Pant said left-arm pace-bowling all-rounder Arjun Tendulkar is making his debut for LSG. Pant also noted that Arshin Kulkarni comes into the team, alongside Mohammed Shami, particularly with Mitchell Marsh unavailable.
Pant further explained the decision-making around the toss and the pitch, stating that they would have chosen to bowl first as well. He described the surface as a good one for cricket whether a team bats or bowls, suggesting it could produce a high-scoring contest.
Reflecting on a difficult season, Pant said it has been tough but has also brought plenty of learning for both the group and personally. He offered an apology to the fans who have travelled from across UP, acknowledging the struggles the team has faced, before insisting that they will give their full effort on Saturday.
Playing XIs
Lucknow Super Giants: Josh Inglis, Arshin Kulkarni, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (wk), Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Arjun Tendulkar, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, and Mohsin Khan.
Impact substitutes: Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Rathi, M Siddharth, Himmat Singh, and Akash Singh.
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Impact substitutes: Harpreet Brar, Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, and Pravin Dubey.
