Lucknow Super Giants have been handed a significant fitness lift ahead of their high-stakes IPL 2026 encounter with Punjab Kings, with captain Rishabh Pant cleared to take the field despite recent elbow worries. The wicketkeeper-batter had been left in doubt after taking a hard blow, but the latest updates have removed the immediate fear of a more serious problem.
From injury scare to clearance
- On April 15, during LSG’s prior fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Pant was struck on his left elbow by a delivery clocked at 145 km/h from Josh Hazlewood.
- The impact sparked concern that the elbow could involve a serious injury, prompting doubts over whether he would be fit in time for the upcoming clash.
- Ahead of the afternoon match versus Punjab Kings, LSG bowling coach Bharat Arun confirmed Pant’s status, saying he is “perfectly alright” and “absolutely fit” to play.
- Medical checks later indicated the issue was limited to a bruise rather than a fracture, easing the squad’s concerns further.
- Since then, Pant has returned to full training with the group, strengthening LSG’s confidence heading into the contest.
With his fitness no longer in question, attention now shifts to Pant’s batting output. The captain has amassed 105 runs across five matches so far in the season, striking at 122.35—figures that are below his usual impact. As LSG find themselves under pressure in the points table, his performance against a confident Punjab Kings outfit could prove pivotal to shifting the momentum back in their favour.
Predicted XIs: PBKS vs LSG
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Cooper Connolly, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
PBKS Impact Player: Vijaykumar Vyshak
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), George Linde, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav
LSG Impact Player: Mayank Yadav
