Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) travel to Ekana Stadium to face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) this Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Match 38 of IPL 2026, and both sides desperately need a win for very different reasons. In our LSG vs KKR Today Match Prediction, we are backing KKR to cause an upset on the road, riding the confidence of their first win of the season against RR and with spinners who are perfectly suited to what this Lucknow surface offers. Read on for our full expert breakdown covering toss prediction, pitch report, playing 11 and head to head record.
Today’s Match Winning Percentage
Series: Indian Premier League 2026
Teams: Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Date: 26 April 2026
Time: 7:30 PM LOCAL (IST), 2:00 PM GMT, 7:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM ET
Venue: Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Broadcast: Star Sports 1 HD / Star Sports 3
Streaming: JioHotstar
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Preview and Performance
The Lucknow Super Giants are having a tough time in IPL 2026, sitting 9th on the points table with just 2 wins from 7 matches and a net run rate of -1.277. Four losses on the bounce and the season is starting to look very difficult for this side.
Their home ground has not been kind to them either, with seven consecutive losses at Ekana Stadium across seasons making it one of the most uncomfortable venues for their own team. That is a stat that will be hard to ignore going into Sunday’s match.
The batting has been the bigger concern, and nowhere was that more visible than against RR where Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni and Aiden Markram all walked back for ducks in the same game. Mitchell Marsh has been the one bright spot, anchoring the chase with a fighting 55 off 41 balls even as wickets fell around him.
With the ball it has been a different story. Prince Yadav has been their standout performer with 13 wickets this season and Mohammed Shami has delivered when it matters, including a sharp 2/9 against SRH earlier in the campaign. Mohsin Khan also impressed against RR with figures of 2/17 keeping them in the hunt with the ball. Their only two wins this season came against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, and it is KKR they face again this Sunday at Ekana. A side they have beaten before this season, so there is at least some belief in the dressing room heading into this one.
Also Read: GT vs CSK Today Match Prediction, Betting Tips and Preview | Match 37, IPL 2026 | April 26
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Preview and Performance
The Kolkata Knight Riders are sitting rock bottom of the IPL 2026 table in 10th place, with just one win from seven matches and only 3 points to their name including a no result washout. With a playoff qualification chance of just 4 percent, every single game from here is a must win situation.
That said, they did finally end a six match winless run in their last outing, beating Rajasthan Royals by 4 wickets on April 19 in what was a much needed result for the dressing room. A win is a win and this team needed one badly.
Varun Chakaravarthy was the standout in that victory, picking up 3/14 and walking away with the Player of the Match award. He has been KKR’s most reliable bowler this season and Sunil Narine has quietly kept things tight too with an economy rate of 6.82.
With the bat, young Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been one of the few positives, scoring 110 runs across 3 matches including two fifties. Rinku Singh also showed his finishing quality against RR with a crucial 53 not out off 34 balls that sealed the chase. The problems run deep though, and one win does not paper over the cracks of what has been a very disappointing campaign so far. Match 38 against LSG at Ekana on Sunday is a game KKR simply cannot afford to lose if they want to keep any slim hope of a playoff place alive.
Today’s Playing XI Prediction — LSG vs KKR, Match 38, IPL 2026
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): Mitchell Marsh, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Mayank Yadav.
Impact Player: George Linde / Manimaran Siddharth
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Ajinkya Rahane (C), Tim Seifert (WK), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Impact Player: Angkrish Raghuvanshi / Navdeep Saini
Key Players to Watch — LSG vs KKR, Match 38, IPL 2026
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
- Rishabh Pant is under pressure after that golden duck against RR but he remains LSG’s most dangerous batter and their second highest run scorer this season. A captain’s knock here would change the entire complexion of this game.
- Prince Yadav has been the breakout performer of LSG’s season with 13 wickets and on a Lucknow track that offers bounce and pace, KKR’s top order will have to deal with him early or pay the price.
- Mitchell Marsh was the only batter who showed up against RR with a gritty 55 off 41 balls and his ability to contribute with both bat at number three and bowl heavy balls makes him the perfect fit for what Ekana demands from a player.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Varun Chakaravarthy is coming off a Player of the Match performance with 3/14 against RR and on a surface known to grip and turn, the mystery spinner will be the most dangerous bowler on the park come Sunday.
- Rinku Singh proved his finishing quality again with a match winning 53 not out last week and when KKR need boundaries in the death overs under pressure, he is the one man in their lineup you can count on to deliver.
- Sunil Narine may not always be the wicket taker but with an economy of 6.82 this season, his four overs on a slow Lucknow surface will be the hardest to score against for any batter in the LSG line-up.
LSG vs KKR Weather Report Lucknow | April 26
Sunday evening in Lucknow is going to be a hot one with temperatures still sitting at 37°C when the match kicks off at 7:30 PM despite the daytime peak hitting a scorching 43°C under a red alert heatwave. There is a slight 5 to 10 percent chance of drizzle late in the game but nothing significant enough to threaten a full 40 overs, and moderate dew is expected to build as the night progresses which could offer a slight advantage to the team batting second.
LSG vs KKR Match 38 Pitch Report — Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Ekana’s black soil surface will offer some early pace and bounce for the quicks before slowing down significantly after the eight over mark, bringing spinners like Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine right into the game through the middle overs. The average first innings score sits around 173 to 175 with anything above 185 considered a match winning total, and with chasing teams winning 58.33 percent of matches here since 2023, both captains will almost certainly be looking to bowl first at the toss.
LSG vs KKR Toss Prediction — Match 38, IPL 2026
Our IPL toss prediction for Match 38 is KKR to win the toss and elect to bowl first, and the reasoning is straightforward given that chasing teams have won 58.33 percent of matches at Ekana since 2023 with dew expected to build as the night progresses making the ball skid nicely onto the bat in the second innings. Bowling first on a surface that offers early pace and bounce suits KKR’s attack perfectly and puts them in the stronger position to control the game.
Toss Prediction: Toss winner will bowl first. We back KKR to win the toss.
LSG vs KKR Betting Tips Today
- Safe Pick: KKR to win Match 38
- Risky Pick: LSG to pull off an upset at their home ground.
- Top Batter to Watch: Rinku Singh
- Top Bowler to Watch: Sunil Narine
Looking for more betting tips for IPL 2026? Check our IPL Betting Tips
LSG vs KKR Today Match Prediction — Who Will Win Match 38, IPL 2026?
Our IPL today match prediction for Match 38 is KKR to win this one, and we are backing them to carry the momentum from their previous win against RR into this Sunday night clash at Ekana. KKR showed real fight in that 4 wicket victory and with Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine likely to exploit a gripping Lucknow surface, they have enough weapons to trouble LSG on their own patch and come away with a crucial win.
Prediction: KKR to win Match 38, IPL 2026.
