IPL 2026 Match 38 pits the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, on Sunday, April 26, 2026, in a 7:30 PM IST evening clash. LSG are our predicted winners.
This is a battle between two teams gasping for survival in the bottom half of the points table. LSG sit 9th with four consecutive defeats, while KKR are 10th with just one win all season. Something has to give, and home advantage should tip the balance toward Rishabh Pant’s side.
IPL 2026 Match 38 LSG vs KKR Match Info
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | Match 38, IPL 2026 (TATA IPL) |
| Teams | Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Date | Sunday, April 26, 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST (Evening) |
| Venue | BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| Live Broadcast | Star Sports Network |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar |
| LSG Captain | Rishabh Pant |
| KKR Captain | Ajinkya Rahane |
IPL 2026 Match 38 Odds for LSG vs KKR
Despite their recent struggles, LSG are slight favourites across betting platforms, largely because of home advantage and the head-to-head record.
LSG win odds hover around 1.72-1.78, while KKR sit in the 2.05-2.10 range. This is one of the closer pricing markets in IPL 2026, reflecting just how tight this contest looks on paper.
| Platform | LSG Win | KKR Win | Toss (LSG) | Toss (KKR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1xBet | 1.75 | 2.05 | 1.90 | 1.85 |
| Stake | 1.72 | 2.10 | 1.85 | 1.85 |
| 4RABET | 1.78 | 2.08 | 1.85 | 1.90 |
| BetVibe | 1.74 | 2.06 | 1.90 | 1.90 |
IPL 2026 Match 38 Toss Prediction for LSG vs KKR
The toss at Ekana is massive. Chasing teams won 6 of 8 IPL matches at this venue in 2025.
The black-soil surface at Ekana slows down as the match progresses, making second-innings batting harder. But the dew factor in Lucknow is less pronounced than at coastal venues like Mumbai or Chennai.
In IPL 2026, both matches at Ekana have been low-scoring affairs. The team batting first posted 164 in one and around 160 in the other. Captains have been mixed in their approach, but Rishabh Pant chose to field first in his last home game.
Toss Prediction: The toss winner will opt to field first.
LSG Predicted Playing XI for IPL 2026 Match 38
Lucknow’s season has been a slow-motion collapse. After starting with two wins from their first four games, they’ve lost four consecutive matches, slipping to 9th in the standings. Their last result was a 40-run defeat to the Rajasthan Royals at home, where they were bowled out for just 119.
The batting has been the problem. Nicholas Pooran has just 73 runs in seven matches. Rishabh Pant has 147 runs in seven innings. The middle order has lacked any finishing power.
On the positive side, Mayank Yadav returned to the squad for Match 32 and adds express pace. Mohammed Shami continues to lead the bowling with excellent control.
Predicted XI:
| Rank | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitchell Marsh | All-rounder (Opener) |
| 2 | Ayush Badoni | Batter (Opener) |
| 3 | Rishabh Pant (c/wk) | WK-Batter |
| 4 | Aiden Markram | Batter |
| 5 | Nicholas Pooran | WK-Batter |
| 6 | Mukul Choudhary | Batter |
| 7 | Mohammed Shami | Bowler |
| 8 | Mayank Yadav | Bowler |
| 9 | Prince Yadav | Bowler |
| 10 | Digvesh Rathi | Bowler |
| 11 | Mohsin Khan | Bowler |
| 12 (Impact) | Himmat Singh / Abdul Samad | Batter |
- Key watch: Will LSG persist with Nicholas Pooran? His strike rate is the lowest among batters with 50+ balls faced this season. Matthew Breetzke or Josh Inglis could replace him.
KKR Predicted Playing XI for IPL 2026 Match 38
KKR finally broke their duck in Match 28 with a nervy four-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals, powered by Rinku Singh’s unbeaten 53 and a brilliant spin display from Varun Chakravarthy (3/14) and Sunil Narine (2/26).
The biggest boost for KKR is the availability of Matheesha Pathirana, who joined the squad on April 19 after recovering from a calf injury. The Sri Lankan death-bowling specialist could transform KKR’s bowling at the death.
However, Harshit Rana is ruled out of the entire IPL 2026 Season with a knee injury, and Finn Allen has been dropped after scores of 6, 9, and 1 in his last three outings.
Predicted XI:
| Rank | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ajinkya Rahane (c) | Batter (Opener) |
| 2 | Tim Seifert (wk) | WK-Batter (Opener) |
| 3 | Cameron Green | All-rounder |
| 4 | Rovman Powell | Batter |
| 5 | Rinku Singh | Batter |
| 6 | Sunil Narine | All-rounder |
| 7 | Ramandeep Singh | All-rounder |
| 8 | Anukul Roy | All-rounder |
| 9 | Vaibhav Arora | Bowler |
| 10 | Kartik Tyagi | Bowler |
| 11 | Varun Chakravarthy | Bowler |
| 12 (Impact) | Matheesha Pathirana / Finn Allen | Bowler / Batter |
- Key note: If Pathirana plays, KKR may drop a batter (Anukul Roy) and use him as the primary death bowler. His unorthodox slingy action could be devastating on Ekana’s slow surface.
Ekana Cricket Stadium Pitch Report, IPL 2026
Ekana is not Chinnaswamy. It is not Chepauk either. It is its own beast: a slow, black-soil surface with the longest straight boundaries in Indian cricket.
Stadium Details:
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Stadium | BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| Capacity | ~50,000 |
| Pitch Type | Black-soil, slow, bowler-friendly |
| Avg 1st Innings Score (IPL 2026) | ~162 runs |
| Boundary Size | Square: 65-68m | Straight: 68-75m |
| Best Strategy | Field first (chasing teams won 6/8 in IPL 2025) |
What to expect from the surface on April 26:
- Black-soil foundation makes this a slow, grip-heavy surface. The ball doesn’t come onto the bat easily, rewarding patient batting and wrist-position control.
- Spin dominates the middle overs. Varun Chakravarthy and Narine will fancy their chances on this surface. So will LSG’s Digvesh Rathi.
- Pace bowlers who hit the deck hard get assistance. Mohammed Shami and Mayank Yadav’s extra pace and accuracy could be lethal early on.
- Large boundaries make clearing the rope difficult. Power hitters need to time the ball rather than muscle it. Mistimed shots that would be sixes at Wankhede are catches here.
- Par score: 170-185. In IPL 2026, both matches at Ekana have produced first-innings totals around 160-165. Anything above 175 is a competitive total.
Lucknow Weather Report, April 26, 2026
Extreme heat has been a recurring theme in Lucknow this April. Daytime temperatures are touching 40-42°C, but conditions cool to around 28-32°C by the 7:30 PM start.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Condition | Clear skies, hot and dry |
| Temperature | 28-32°C during match hours |
| Humidity | 30-50%, moderate |
| Wind Speed | Light, 10-15 km/h |
| Cloud Cover | Minimal |
| Dew Factor | Low to moderate; less pronounced than coastal venues |
| Rain Probability | 0% during match hours |
| Match Interruption Risk | None |
The low humidity and dry conditions mean dew will not be a major factor, unlike coastal venues. This reduces the advantage typically associated with batting second under lights.
Dream11 Team for LSG vs KKR
LSG vs KKR Head-to-Head: Last 5 Matches
Overall Head-to-Head (IPL History):
| Matches Played | LSG Wins | KKR Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
LSG dominates this rivalry with a commanding 5-2 record. KKR’s only two wins came in IPL 2022 (at a neutral venue) and IPL 2024 at Eden Gardens.
Last 5 Matches:
| Match | Date | Winner | Margin | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2026 | Apr 9, 2026 | LSG | 3 wickets | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| IPL 2025 | Apr 08, 2025 | LSG | 4 runs | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| IPL 2024 | May 05, 2024 | KKR | 98 runs | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| IPL 2024 | Apr 14, 2024 | KKR | 8 wicket | Hyderabad (neutral) |
| IPL 2023 | May 20, 2023 | LSG | 1 run | DY Patil, Mumbai (neutral) |
Rivalry Highlights Worth Knowing:
- KKR’s highest score in this fixture is 235, but they still lost that IPL 2025 match at Eden Gardens by 4 runs. LSG’s batting lineup, led by Marsh (81) and Pooran (87*), was simply too powerful.
- Quinton de Kock’s 140* off 70 balls remains the highest individual score in this rivalry, scored for LSG in IPL 2022.
- KKR won their IPL 2024 encounter by 8 wickets, with Phil Salt and Mitchell Starc leading the way. A rare dominant KKR performance.
Our Prediction: LSG Has Better Chances to Win Against KKR in IPL 2026 Match 38
Bottom line up front: LSG wins, chasing a target in the 155-170 range.
When two struggling teams meet, home advantage becomes the tiebreaker. And that tilts this firmly toward Lucknow.
Why LSG Wins
Home advantage at Ekana is real. LSG knows this surface intimately. Their bowling unit, led by Shami and Mayank Yadav, is built for these conditions: pace that hits the deck and skids through on a slow surface.
The head-to-head record is decisive. LSG leads 5-2, and that psychological edge matters when both teams are low on confidence.
KKR’s top-order woes are chronic. Rahane’s strike rate has been a burden, Allen was dropped, and Seifert has been inconsistent. Against Shami’s accuracy and Mayank Yadav’s 150 kph thunderbolts, KKR’s openers could crumble again.
LSG’s bowling depth is superior. Shami, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, and Digvesh Rathi give Pant five frontline options. KKR’s attack is thinner without Harshit Rana.
Why KKR Could Win
Spin at Ekana could be KKR’s trump card. Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine together took 5/40 in their last match. On a slow, gripping surface, this duo could suffocate LSG’s struggling batters.
Rinku Singh’s finishing ability is proven. His unbeaten 53 against RR showed composure under pressure. If KKR can navigate to the death overs with wickets in hand, Rinku can win games from impossible positions.
Matheesha Pathirana could be a game-changer. If he plays, KKR finally have a genuine death-overs specialist. His low-slung action and pace variations are incredibly hard to read, especially on slower surfaces.
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Final Verdict
LSG’s bowling attack, home familiarity, and head-to-head dominance give them the edge. KKR’s batting has been their undoing all season, and Ekana’s slow, big-boundary surface is not kind to teams struggling for timing and rhythm.
The caveat is LSG’s own batting fragility. If Pant, Markram, and Marsh all fail again, even KKR’s under-performing attack could win this. But at home, with Shami swinging the new ball and Mayank Yadav hitting 150 kph, LSG should have the tools to restrict KKR and chase down a modest target.
Expect a low-scoring, tactical contest where every run matters. The team that handles pressure better wins. History says that’s LSG.
This prediction is based on publicly available squad data, injury reports, venue stats, and historical records as of April 24, 2026. Official playing XIs will be confirmed at the toss.
