Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will field Rishabh Pant, Mitchell Marsh, and Mohammed Shami, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) rely on Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in Match 50 of IPL 2026 at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 7:30 PM IST.
Currently, LSG sit at the bottom of the table with just two wins from nine matches, whereas RCB hold 2nd place with six wins and 12 points. Although RCB won the reverse fixture at Chinnaswamy by 5 wickets, this Ekana surface favours bowlers, which could give LSG their best chance of springing a surprise.
LSG Playing 11 Today
Because LSG have won just two of nine games, further changes to the lineup are expected. Accordingly, Josh Inglis comes in as a specialist middle-order option, while Akshat Raghuwanshi and Himmat Singh add domestic batting depth.
Furthermore, Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram continue opening, with captain Rishabh Pant batting at No. 3 and keeping wickets. Additionally, Nicholas Pooran provides explosive middle-order power, although his average of 10.25 earlier this season was a major concern.
On the bowling front, Mohammed Shami leads the attack with the new ball. Moreover, Prince Yadav remains LSG’s leading wicket-taker, while Mohsin Khan and Avesh Khan add pace variety. However, LSG’s home record at Ekana remains the worst among all teams, with just 2 wins from 10+ matches since IPL 2025.
LSG Predicted XI: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Himmat Singh, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav.
RCB Playing 11 Today
Since RCB recently suffered a setback, they will be eager to bounce back and secure their seventh win. Consequently, Virat Kohli (379 runs in 9 matches) and Jacob Bethell open, since Phil Salt has been dropped from the starting XI.
Besides that, Devdutt Padikkal bats at No. 3, while captain Rajat Patidar anchors the middle order with a strike rate above 212 this season. Additionally, Tim David provides death-overs power, and Jitesh Sharma keeps wickets.
In terms of bowling, Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads the IPL 2026 wicket charts with 17 wickets in 9 matches, making him the Purple Cap holder. Moreover, Josh Hazlewood controls the death overs, while Suyash Sharma provides wrist-spin variety. Furthermore, Krunal Pandya and Romario Shepherd offer all-round depth.
RCB Predicted XI: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood.
Impact Player Picks for Both Sides
LSG Impact Sub: Manimaran Siddharth
Since the Ekana pitch assists spin, Manimaran Siddharth becomes the natural impact player for LSG. Specifically, his left-arm spin on the slow Lucknow surface also gives Pant an extra middle-overs weapon against RCB’s right-hand-heavy batting lineup.
RCB Impact Sub: Rasikh Salam
Similarly, Rasikh Salam offers RCB an extra pace bowling option from the bench. Because Ekana can assist seamers with the new ball, Rasikh’s raw speed also complements Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood if RCB need a three-pronged pace attack tonight.
Key Players to Watch in Match 50
Firstly, the battle between Virat Kohli and Prince Yadav in the powerplay could define the game, since Kohli’s 379 runs make him the most dangerous batter on display while Prince’s early wickets have been LSG’s only consistent positive. Similarly, Bhuvneshwar Kumar versus Mitchell Marsh promises a fascinating swing-versus-power contest with the new ball.
| Player Name | Team | Role | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | LSG | Captain / WK-Batter | Match-winner; aggressive finisher; leads from behind the stumps |
| Mitchell Marsh | LSG | Opener / All-rounder | 396+ runs; avg 39.6; SR 151; LSG’s most consistent batter |
| Prince Yadav | LSG | Pacer | 13+ wickets; 2nd Purple Cap earlier; 5 powerplay wickets |
| Mohammed Shami | LSG | Pace Spearhead | Leads LSG attack; new-ball swing; deadly yorkers at death |
| Virat Kohli | RCB | Opener | 379 runs in 9 matches; SR 157; RCB’s all-time leading run-scorer |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | RCB | Pacer | 17 wickets in 9 matches; Purple Cap holder; best new-ball bowler |
| Josh Hazlewood | RCB | Pace Spearhead | Controls death overs; economy under 8; consistent wicket-taker |
Head-to-Head Record: LSG vs RCB
Across 7 IPL meetings, RCB dominate with 5 wins to LSG‘s 2. Notably, RCB have won the most recent fixture (Match 23 at Chinnaswamy) by 5 wickets, powered by Phil Salt’s 78 and contributions from Kohli and Patidar.
| Category | LSG | RCB |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 7 | 7 |
| Wins | 2 | 5 |
| First-ever fixture | April 2022 (RCB won) | April 2022 (RCB won) |
| Most recent fixture | Match 23, IPL 2026 (RCB won) | Match 23, IPL 2026 (RCB won) |
| Record at Chinnaswamy | 0-3 | 3-0 |
Additionally, RCB have won all 3 matches at Chinnaswamy against LSG, while LSG’s 2 victories both came at neutral venues. However, this is LSG’s first home game against RCB at Ekana in IPL 2026, which adds an unknown dimension to tonight’s contest.
Pitch Report & Weather Forecast
Firstly, the Ekana Cricket Stadium pitch has traditionally favoured bowlers, with the average first-innings score around 155 runs this IPL 2026 season. Furthermore, the slow black-soil surface grips for spinners in the middle overs, making disciplined bowling the key to success.
Secondly, the Lucknow weather forecast shows partly cloudy conditions with a high of 31°C and humidity around 33 percent. Consequently, there is a 25% chance of passing showers, but a full 40-over contest remains likely. Besides that, dew will arrive during the second innings, and chasing teams have won around 58% of matches at this venue.
As a result, the captain winning the toss will almost certainly bowl first to exploit the dew advantage. Therefore, the toss becomes crucial on a surface where 170 could be a match-winning total.
Match Prediction: Who Wins Today?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter as overwhelming favourites with an 80% win probability, especially since their bowling attack is perfectly suited to this sluggish surface. Specifically, Bhuvneshwar’s 17 wickets and Hazlewood’s death-overs control make them dangerous on any pitch, and Ekana’s slow nature only amplifies their effectiveness.
On the other hand, LSG‘s bowling with Shami, Prince Yadav, and Mohsin Khan can restrict any lineup on this surface. However, their batting has been the worst in IPL 2026, and no batting lineup can win matches consistently when it keeps folding under pressure.
As for the toss, the captain winning the flip will bowl first to chase under the dew. Ultimately, RCB are predicted to win this contest and therefore take a giant step toward confirming their playoff qualification while pushing LSG closer to elimination.
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Final Word
To sum up, the LSG vs RCB Match 50 brings the defending champions to LSG’s struggling Ekana fortress for a Thursday night clash. If Kohli adapts to the slow Ekana surface, then LSG’s bowlers face a long evening.
Otherwise, Prince Yadav’s powerplay wickets and Shami’s swing could make this closer than the 80% win probability suggests. Either way, LSG need a miracle, and cricket has never been short of those.
