Summary of this article
Lucknow Super Giants, led by Rishabh Pant, are playing for pride as they sit at the bottom of the table with only 6 points
Currently in 5th place, the Chennai Super Kings seek a vital win to secure their spot in the IPL 2026 playoffs
After a narrow defeat at Chepauk, LSG aim to leverage their home turf’s spin-friendly conditions to avenge their recent loss to CSK
As the IPL 2026 league stage nears its conclusion, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) return to the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium this Friday to host the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
For LSG, the stakes have shifted from playoff qualification to salvaging pride; currently reeling at the bottom of the table with just 6 points from 11 games, the Rishabh Pant-led side is effectively out of the top-four race.
In contrast, the Super Kings have hit their stride at the perfect time, sitting in 5th place with 12 points and eyeing a crucial win to leapfrog into the playoff spots.
The psychological edge lies with Chennai, who secured a thrilling 5-wicket victory over Lucknow just five days ago at Chepauk. In that encounter, Josh Inglis stunned the CSK faithful with a blistering 85 off 33 balls, helping LSG post 203.
However, a masterclass from Urvil Patel (65 off 23) and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad ensured the Yellow Army chased it down with four balls to spare. LSG will be desperate to flip the script on their home turf, where the surface traditionally offers more grip for spinners like Shahbaz Ahmed and the pace-off variations of Mohammed Shami.
LSG Vs CSK, IPL 2026: Hourly Weather Forecast
The weather forecast for Friday evening in Lucknow suggests a warm and humid encounter at the Ekana Stadium, with temperatures expected to hover around 31°C at the start of play.
While the daytime heat may peak at 40°C, the evening brings a slight relief, though the humidity levels, nearing 45%, will likely make it feel significantly warmer for the players. Skies are predicted to be partly cloudy, but the threat of rain remains minimal, ensuring a full 40-over contest for the fans.
A critical factor for the captains to consider will be the heavy dew expected to settle during the second innings. As the temperature dips toward 28°C later in the night, the moisture on the outfield will likely make the ball difficult to grip for spinners like Noor Ahmad and Shahbaz Ahmed.
Consequently, the toss-winning captain is almost certain to opt for bowling first, aiming to capitalize on the easier batting conditions under the lights while avoiding the challenges of defending a total with a wet ball.
LSG Vs CSK, IPL 2026: Squads
Lucknow Super Giants: Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Aiden Markram, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Himmat Singh, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Mukul Choudhary, Abdul Samad, Manimaran Siddharth, Mayank Yadav, George Linde, Anrich Nortje, Matthew Breetzke, Mohsin Khan, Arjun Tendulkar, Ayush Badoni, Akash Maharaj Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Naman Tiwari
Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Akeal Hosein, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh, Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Madhwal, Dian Forrester, MS Dhoni, Matt Henry, Shreyas Gopal, Rahul Chahar, Spencer Johnson, Aman Khan, Zakary Foulkes, Macneil Noronha
What is the chance of rain during the LSG vs CSK match in Lucknow?
The forecast predicts clear to partly cloudy skies with a 0% chance of precipitation, ensuring a full 40-over game without rain interruptions.
How will the temperature behave during the match hours?
The temperature is expected to start around 31°C at 7:30 PM and gradually dip to a comfortable 27°C by the end of the match.
Will the dew factor impact the second innings at the Ekana Stadium?
Yes, humidity levels near 45% are expected to trigger significant dew, likely making the ball slippery for bowlers and favoring the team batting second.
