Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Rishabh Pant, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and Matheesha Pathirana are the key players to watch in LSG vs KKR Match 38 of IPL 2026 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, on Sunday, April 26.
Lucknow Super Giants are 9th on the points table with just two wins from seven matches and a painful four-match losing streak, while Kolkata Knight Riders sit rock-bottom with one win from seven games.
Interestingly, LSG’s last win this season came against this very opposition, a last-ball thriller where Mukul Choudhary’s unbeaten 54 sealed the chase.
KKR receive a massive boost with Matheesha Pathirana fit and available for the first time this season, while Varun Chakravarthy found his mojo with 3/14 against RR.
Key Players To Watch Out For From Both Teams
| Category | Player Name | Team | Key Role / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batsman | Rishabh Pant (c/wk) | LSG | LSG captain; needs a big innings to revive the campaign. |
| Batsman | Mitchell Marsh | LSG | 55 vs RR; strong all-rounder and top-order anchor. |
| Batsman | Nicholas Pooran | LSG | Explosive finisher; dangerous in the death overs. |
| Batsman | Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk) | KKR | 210 runs at SR 142.85; KKR’s leading run-scorer this season. |
| Batsman | Ajinkya Rahane (c) | KKR | KKR captain; experienced but inconsistent this season. |
| Batsman | Rinku Singh | KKR | Middle-order finisher; capable of changing games late. |
| Bowler | Mohammed Shami | LSG | Best economy among regular bowlers; key new-ball threat. |
| Bowler | Prince Yadav | LSG | 11 wickets at avg 17.18; death-overs specialist. |
| Bowler | Mohsin Khan | LSG | 4 wickets at economy 6.58 (2nd-best in IPL 2026); bowled maiden to Sooryavanshi. |
| Bowler | Varun Chakravarthy | KKR | 3/14 vs RR; finally found form; mystery spinner. |
| Bowler | Matheesha Pathirana | KKR | Fit and available for first time; adds pace firepower. |
| Bowler | Vaibhav Arora | KKR | KKR’s leading wicket-taker among pacers this season. |
| All-Rounder | Sunil Narine | KKR | Could open batting; 194 IPL wickets; economical spin. |
| All-Rounder | Mukul Choudhary | LSG | Match-winning 54* vs KKR in reverse fixture; emerging finisher. |
Key Player Battles To Watch: LSG vs KKR
Both teams need a win badly, and these individual contests could determine the outcome.
| Battle | LSG Player | KKR Player | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powerplay Pace | Mohammed Shami | Angkrish Raghuvanshi | Raghuvanshi has just 11 runs off Shami at SR 122.22. Shami’s seam on Ekana’s surface could be decisive. |
| Spin vs South Africa | Aiden Markram | Varun Chakravarthy | Varun has dismissed Markram 3 times in 5 T20 innings (20 runs off 28 balls). A crucial middle-overs contest. |
| Captain’s Battle | Rishabh Pant | Sunil Narine | Pant’s aggression vs Narine’s mystery on a slow pitch. Both teams need their star performers to deliver. |
LSG vs KKR: Head-to-Head Record in IPL
The LSG vs KKR rivalry has been firmly dominated by Lucknow.
LSG lead 5-2 in 7 IPL meetings and have never lost to KKR at the Ekana Stadium.
| Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 7 |
| LSG Wins | 5 |
| KKR Wins | 2 |
| LSG Home Record vs KKR | Unbeaten at Ekana |
| Reverse Fixture (IPL 2026) | LSG won by 3 wickets off the last ball |
| KKR Current Position | 10th (1 win, 5 losses, 1 washout) |
| LSG Current Position | 9th (2 wins, 5 losses) |
Ekana Stadium Pitch And Conditions: What To Expect
The Ekana Cricket Stadium has been one of the toughest batting surfaces in IPL 2026.
No team has breached the 200-run mark in six innings at this venue, with the average first-innings score of just 155.
A black-soil surface will be in play, and the pitch is expected to be two-paced, making shot-making difficult in the middle overs.
Consequently, spinners will enjoy extra grip and bounce, favouring Varun, Narine, and Anukul Roy.
Chasing teams have won approximately 58% of matches at this venue, making the toss important.
Temperature in Lucknow will be around 34 degrees Celsius in the evening.
Probable Playing XIs for LSG vs KKR Match 38
Here are the Probable playing XI for LSG vs KKR Match:
LSG Probable XI
Ayush Badoni, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, M Siddharth, Mayank Yadav
Impact Player: Matthew Breetzke or Abdul Samad
Note: LSG’s batting has been their biggest concern, getting bundled out for 119 against RR in their last outing.
KKR Probable XI
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Matheesha Pathirana, Varun Chakravarthy
Impact Player: Vaibhav Arora
Note: Matheesha Pathirana is expected to make his debut for KKR, likely replacing Tim Seifert. This allows Narine to open alongside Rahane.
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Final Verdict: Both Teams Ready With Balanced Squad For Clash
This is a must-win contest for both teams, with playoff hopes hanging by a thread.
LSG‘s home advantage at Ekana (unbeaten vs KKR here), Shami’s new-ball mastery, and Mohsin Khan’s economy give them a slight edge.
However, KKR’s spin trio of Varun, Narine, and Anukul, combined with the Pathirana boost, could cause an upset on a slow, spin-friendly surface.
Regardless of the result, this Sunday evening clash between two teams desperate for survival promises a tense, low-scoring battle at the Ekana.
