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An imperious bowling performance from Rajasthan Royals has helped it jump back up to second in the table. Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger set the tone early on, reducing LSG to three down early in the PowerPlay in its pursuit of 160. 

Nicholas Pooran struggled to 22 again before he fell to Jadeja, and while Mitchell Marsh battled valiantly with a fifty, it was not enough as the seamers returned in the second half of the innings to clean up the tail efficiently and secure a 40-run win.

Archer to bowl out. Goes short, and Digvesh fends it off for one. Four! Nicely played by Mayank, Archer goes pace on and he guides it off the stumps for four past deep third. Jurel with a screamer! Mayank looks to guide the ball away and gets a thin edge again. The ball is screaming away to the boundary, but Jurel shows astonishing reflexes to get down low to his left and complete a stunning catch.

Mayank Yadav c Dhruv Jurel b Jofra Archer 5 (5b)

Mohsin Khan is the last man in. Defended to cover. Defends the next ball back to the bowler. Perfect yorker from Archer, and it’s all over! Rajasthan Royals wins by 40 runs.

Mohsin Khan b Jofra Archer 0 (3b)

Brijesh returns, and he’s removed Mukul first ball! Short ball hurries the batter, and it skews up to covers where Parag takes another sharp catch diving forward! 

Mukul Choudhary c Riyan Parag b Brijesh Sharma 7 (3b)

Mayank Yadav is the new man. Wide down leg. Guided to deep third for one. Brijesh has another! Perfect yorker, and Shami loses his leg-stump! RR moves closer to victory.

Mohammed Shami b Brijesh Sharma 6 (4b)

Digvesh Rathi is the new man at 10, he digs out the first ball for one. Mayank is done in by the slower ball, and the outside edge runs to short third for a dot. Back to the bowler to end the over.

Burger to close out his spell, and Marsh starts by slapping him over long-off for six to complete a 39-ball fifty! LSG needs him to kick on now. Punches the next ball to cover. Slower ball outside off, and Marsh gets underneath it. Parag runs back from cover....and holds onto a great catch! The captain is composed under pressure, what a moment! 

Mitchell Marsh c Riyan Parag b Nandre Burger 55 (41b)

Mohammed Shami is the new batter in. Most of LSG’s hopes are on Mukul again now. Slower ball, and Shami chips it short of cover. Beaten on the outside edge.

Wow, Shami has slugged it over midwicket for six! What an end to the over! LSG needs 49 from four overs.

Bishnoi returns. Back-to-back singles to start the over. Gone! And Bishnoi strikes. Himmat looks for the big hit, and it clatters into off-stump. He does the Digvesh Rathi send-off as well!

Himmat Singh b Ravi Bishnoi 15 (15b)

Mukul Choudhary is in at seven. Off the mark with a single past midwicket. Marsh taps a single to the deep cover fielder. Six! That has gone to the moooon! Mukul reads the googly, and slog-sweeps it handsomely for six.

LSG needs 61 from the final five overs.

Jadeja again, starts with a wide outside off. Marsh slaps it to cover, who gathers well. Looks for the sweep and misses, loud lbw appeal but nothing given. Himmat tries a switch-hit but can’t connect. 

Six! Wow, lovely shot! Advances down the wicket and lofts it over covers for a massive six. Jadeja darts the next one in and the batter defends. Himmat defends off the stumps for one more.

Brijesh back for his second. Himmat taps it for a single. Marsh pulls for one more. Slugged away for one more. All pace off so far from Brijesh.

Full toss down leg, but Marsh can’t put it away. Another slower ball, Himmat pulls it to deep midwicket on the bounce. One more single to end the over.

Jadeja continues, and Marsh sweeps powerfully for four! Shorter and wide, Marsh slaps it powerfully and cover fumbles to allow four more! Single to deep midwicket to follow. 

Himmat defends off the stumps, slight hesitation but the batters pinch a single. Outside edge, and Burger does well at short third to save the boundary. Himmat rocks back and punches a single.

Better over for LSG, 12 from it.

Bishnoi again, expect him to attack the stumps more now. Riyan Parag looks slightly annoyed by something. Himmat takes a quick single to start the over. Four! Drops a touch short, and Marsh belts it away to split the leg-side fielders. Quicker, and targeting the stumps, Marsh defends. 

Inside edge from Marsh, and the batters steal a single as the ball runs to short fine. Wide fired down leg. A couple of dots to end the over.

Jadeja with his second. Pooran taps it on the leg side for two runs, good running by the pair. Bowls that just inside the wide line outside off stump, dot ball. 

Pooran tugs it to cow corner for two more runs. Jadeja is not impressed with the fielding. Straight up in the air and its taken at long on! POORAN IS GONE! YET ANOTHER UNDERWHELMING INNINGS!

Nicholas Pooran c Donovan Ferreira b Ravindra Jadeja 22(25) [4s-3]

Himmat Singh is in at six and he is the impact sub. Prince Yadav is subbed out. Himmat drives it to long on for a single, gets off the mark straight away. 

Outside edge and the ball falls short of short third, dot ball.

Ravi Bishnoi is into the attack. Short and wide to start, Pooran slaps it to covers, slight misfield and he takes the single.

Too short from Bishnoi, good fielding at deep square leg to keep it down to two. Googly from Bishnoi, Marsh hits it to long on for a single.

Short and wide from Bishnoi, Pooran tries to reach out to it and cut it, misses. RR thinks there’s an edge here. RR take the review.

Ball passing just under the bat show the replay, decision stays. Pooran hits it straight to short cover, dot ball. 

Short and wide from Bishnoi again, Pooran drills it to cover and LSG take a quick single. Bishnoi has bowled five make that six short and wide delivers, Pooran cuts it to deep extra cover for a single.

Jadeja is into the attack. Marsh nudges it to short backward point. Marsh flicks it to deep mid wicket off his back foot for a single.

Pooran hits it to deep mid wicket for a single. Marsh guides it to long off for a single. Pooran nudges it to short cover, dot ball. Pooran pulls it to deep square leg for a single. Four singles off that over.

Brijesh Sharma into the attack. Marsh defends, dot ball. Marsh punches it to deep covers for a single. 

Brijesh from around the wicket, Pooran defends, dot ball. Pooran in full defensive mode here, the West Indian has scored only six runs from 11 balls.

And just as the previous ball goes by, Pooran pulls it fine of deep square leg for FOUR! First sign of intent from Pooran!

Pooran hits it straight back to the bowler, dot ball. Pooran with a cover drive for FOUR!

Burger with his third. Marsh nudges it off his pads to deep backward square leg for a single. Pooran with a low confident shot to covers, dot ball.

Pooran taps it on the leg side for a quick single. Marsh goes big on the leg side for SIX! Ooooh, beauty from Burger, hits the hard length and beats Marsh’s outside edge, dot ball.

Marsh nudges it to covers for a single.

Archer with his third in the PowerPlay, Pooran guides it off his pads to square leg, dot ball. Pooran hits it to mid off, dot ball.

Ooooff, jaffa from Archer hitting the hard length, beats Pooran’s outside edge. Absolute scorcher from Archer again, rips through Pooran’s outside edge with great carry to the keeper.

Pooran tries to nudge it on the leg side but does not connect, dot ball. Sensational bowling from Archer.

Pooran defends, six dot balls, maiden from Archer.

Burger with his second. Marsh defends. RR well and truly in control here, LSG on the backfoot, can Marsh and Pooran mount a comeback?

Marsh pulls it past mid wicket for FOUR! Marsh goes for the pull but the ball deflects off his pads to the off side for one leg bye.

Pooran taps it to covers for a quick single. Marsh tries to drive it on the off side but hits the inside half of the bat, ball goes straight to the bowler, dot ball.

Marsh defends, dot ball.

Archer with his second. Marsh taps it to mid on for a single. Full from Archer, Markram hits it to mid on for a dot ball.

Bouncer from Archer, Markram ducks, dot ball. Good length ball from Archer, Markram defends, dot ball.

Markram goes for the pull but can only top edge it and it falls in the hands of Dhruv Jurel! LSG in HUGE trouble! MARKRAM IS GONE TOO! WICKET!

Aiden Markram c Dhruv Jurel b Jofra Archer 0(6)

Nicholas Pooran is in at five for LSG. Oooh wide bouncer down leg side. Pooran guides it past mid wicket off his pads for FOUR!

Rishabh Pant is in at three. Burger into the attack, Marsh taps it on the off side for a single. Pant charges first ball and tries to reach the ball for a big shot, misses, dot ball.

Pant charges again, mistimes the pull to mid on, dot ball. PANT IS GONE! DREAM START FOR RR! Tries to hook it on the leg side but can only nick it to the keeper! WICKET!

Rishabh Pant c Dhruv Jurel b Nandre Burger 0(3)

Markram is in at four. Ooooh terrific delivery first up, swings away from Markram at the last minute and just beats his outside edge.

Markram defends, dot ball. What an over, just one run and a wicket from that.

Its Marsh and Badoni again who open the batting for LSG. Archer takes the new ball for RR. Marsh on strike, first slip in place. Starts with a yorker, Marsh does well to get some bat on that, dot ball. Right on the money from Archer.

Marsh drives it straight to mid off, dot ball. Full and wide from Archer and Marsh crunches it past covers for FOUR! Shot from Marsh, goes straight down the ground for FOUR MORE!

Marsh taps it short backward point for a quick single. Badoni on strike. Trouble trouble trouble yes no yes no and Badoni is run out at the striker’s end! Complete mix up! 

Direct hit from Ravi Singh and Badoni is not even part of the frame in the replay, GONE!

Ayush Badoni run out (Ravi Singh) 0(1)

Right, what to make of that innings? LSG seemed on top right from the PowerPlay Mohammed Shami nipped out Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel back-to-back. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fell soon after to the impressive Mohsin Khan, and LSG picked up regular wickets to stay ahead of the game.

RR remains fighting thanks to a plucky stand from Ravindra Jadeja and Shubham Dubey, who added 43 from the final three overs to haul it upto a total where it will feel it is in the game.

Will it be enough? Stay with us to find out.

Mayank to bowl out, and Jadeja has clubbed it away for four to start the over. Pulled away again, and Markram fumbles at long-off to allow two. Slower ball on a length, and this time it goes past mid-off for four! 

Conference at the bowler’s mark now. Goes short and pulls for what should be one, but Ayush Badoni fumbles to allow two. Swung away again, Badoni clears up cleanly this time but can’t stop the two. 

What a finish! Mayank goes short, and Jadeja hooks it high into the stands for six! 20 from the last, and Rajasthan Royals finishes on 159 for six.

Prince for his last, starts short and wide, nothing given. Dubey backs away and slaps it past mid-off for four! Carved to the sweeper for one more. Short ball gets big on Jadeja, and he pulls it over midwicket for two. Perfect leg-stump yorker, Jadeja gets a leg-bye. Pant is in some discomfort again, but he’s taken a review for something. I’m not sure what. Oh, it’s for lbw but it’s pitched about six miles outside leg.

Final ball, wide yorker and Dubey slices it away for four!

Digvesh for his last, Dubey cuts to the sweeper for one. Short and wide, Jadeja cuts for two. Slapped to the sweeper for one. Dubey pulls away for two. Slashes hard at the next ball, and it flies off the edge for four! 

Slapped to long-off to end the over, 11 from Digvesh’s final over.

Mohsin to bowl his last, Jadeja picks out point. Jadeja backs away and nurdles the ball to midwicket for one. Pushed to long-off to get off the mark by Dubey. Jadeja looks for another two but can’t get the second. Clipped off the thighpad for one. 

Jadeja nudges two past midwicket to close out the over, and Mohsin finishes the day with two for 17 from his four.

Prince Yadav to bowl a third over. Jadeja drives to point first ball of the over. Slower bouncer, and Jadeja pulls it to long leg for two. Pace on now, and it flies to the same fielder for one. 

Short ball, and Ferreira has holed out! Slower bouncer, Ferreira looks for the upper cut and finds Mohsin at deep third. 

Donovan Ferreira c Mohsin Khan b Prince Yadav 20 (19b)

Big news, Shubham Dubey is the Impact Player for Rajasthan Royals, replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal. Defends to point first ball.

Mayank Yadav is back for a third over. Ferreira slaps the ball through covers for two. Goes short, the Protea is late onto the pull and toe-ends it for one. Slower ball, Jadeja pushes it to the left of long-on for two. 

Short and wide, Jadeja cuts but Digvesh cleans it up to save two! What a day he’s having! Chaos! What’s happened there! Jadeja taps the ball to leg looking for two where there isn’t. The throw from the deep is wildly off, and Pant breaks the stumps in the process of trying to get the ball. By the time he gathers and throws the ball to Mukul to uproot the stumps, Ferreira runs the full length of the pitch to get back and save himself. Four to end the over! Ferreira backs away looking to go over covers, and gets a thick outside edge that flies away for four!

Digvesh gets another, Jadeja pushes a single to long-off. Drops a little short, Ferreira rocks back and pulls but Pooran runs around to keep it to two. Hacked to midwicket for a dot.

Short again, Ferreira pulls aerially...and this time Pooran cleans it up on the half-volley diving forward. One more to the total for Jadeja. Ferreira takes one to long-on to close out the over.

Mohammed Shami will bowl his last, LSG smells blood in the water. Short ball, Ferreira pulls but Mayank misjudges it and it bounces inside the ropes for four! Poor effort from the fast bowler. At the ribcage again, Ferreira bunts it for a single. Jadeja defends back to the bowler. 

Pitched up, Jadeja drives to mid-off. Short again, Jadeja pulls for one. Ferreira tennis-slaps the ball straight, and Digvesh runs around to prevent the single with a diving stop! He’s having a hell of a night in the field.

Mohsin is back for his third, it’s been a strong start to the day for him. Jadeja faces up first ball, and tucks the ball off his thigh for one. Strikes again! Hurried onto Hetmyer, and he gets a leading edge that floats into the hands of mid-off. 

Shimron Hetmyer c Prince Yadav b Mohsin Khan 22 (18b)

Donovan Ferreira is in at seven, and Mohsin cuts him in half first ball! Back of a length again, and he pulls for a single. Pant cops a blow on the face as he gathers the ball coming in fom the deep, and there is a break in play as he gets treated. Jadeja flicks another single leg-side. Ferreira shovels away another single to close out the over.

Mayank with his second, Hetmyer picks it up and deposits it in the stands on the leg side! SIX! Bouncer from Mayank, Hetmyer pulls it to cow corner for FOUR MORE!

Lovely shot from Hetmyer, drives it straight down the ground for another FOUR! Wow! Could this be the West Indian’s night? He’s looking in fine touch out in the middle.

Change of pace from Mayank, inside edges it and the ball skips over the stumps to the keeper, dot ball. Change of pace again from Mayank, Hetmyer hits it straight to point, dot ball.

Last ball of the over, drives it straight to covers, dot ball.

Prince with his second, Parag guides it to deep backward point for a single. Ooooh Hetmyer almost plays that onto the stumps, inside edge but the ball steers clear of the stumps.

Hetmyer defends, good length delivery from Prince. Hetmyer flicks it to deep square leg for a single. 

Parag defends, dot ball. Parag goes for the helicopter shot but can only find the fielder at long on! The RR skipper has to walk back! WICKET!

Riyan Parag c Nicholas Pooran b Prince Yadav 20(19) [4s-2 6s-1]

Digvesh Rathi is into the attack. Starts with a carrom ball, Hetmyer guides it off his pads on the leg side for a single. 

Parag hits it to cow corner for two runs and its a direct hit from Markram at the non-striker’s end! Umpire goes upstairs.

Small part of the bat inside the crease and Hetmyer is safe. Parag pushes it to long off for a single. Hetmyer pulls it off his back foot to long on for a single.

Parag taps it to short cover, dot ball. Parag guides it to long on for a single.

Mayank Yadav is back after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Starts with a full one, Hetmyer hits a cover drive for two runs.

Wide down leg side, he’ll have to bowl that one again. Swing and a miss from Hetmyer, dot ball. Hetmyer pulls it to deep midwicket for a single, pacy bouncer from Mayank.

Ooooh, Parag tries the ramp shot but can’t get any connection, dot ball. Slow yorker from Mayank, well disguised, Parag defends.

Parag picks it effortlessly off his pads over deep square leg for SIX! Ten off that over.

Mohsin with his second, Hetmyer defends. Hetmyer guides it to long on for a single. Oooh short from Mohsin and Parag pulls it just over mid on for FOUR!

Mohsin beats Parag with a good length delivery. Parag upper cuts it and Prince Yadav at deep third jumps and pulls the ball back inside the boundary line! Top effort, saves three runs for his side!

Hetmyer takes a single on the off side. 

Shimron Hetmyer is in at five. Shami with his third, starts with a wide down leg side. Parag flicks it off his pads on the leg side for FOUR!

Parag leaves that alone, dot ball. Parag with a leave again. Parag defends, dot ball. Parag defends again, dot ball.

Parag taps it to covers, dot ball.

Mohsin Khan is into the attack. Ooooh that nips back in sharply, Sooryavanshi guides it to short third, dot ball.

Sooryavanshi defends, dot ball. Sooryavanshi defends again, dot ball. Sooryavanshi drives it straight to mid on, dot ball.

Oooooh that just beats Sooryavanshi’s outside edge. Sooryanshi tries to go big on the leg side but skies it and Digvesh Rathi runs back from covers and completes a good catch! RR in trouble! Wicket maiden from Mohsin!

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi c Digvesh Singh Rathi b Mohsin Khan 8(11) [4s-2]

Shami with his second. Comes from around the wicket and oooh swing and a miss from Jaiswal. Jaiswal goes over point for FOUR! Finally gets one away!

That swings back in sharply, and Jaiswal cuts it fine of deep point for FOUR MORE! Goes back to over the wicket, Jaiswal this time smashes it over mid off for FOUR! Three boundaries on the trot!

Oooh well-directed bouncer from Shami, nicks Jaiswal’s gloves and a great grab from Rishabh Pant! Times his jump to perfection! Shami gets the last laugh! WICKET!

Yashasvi Jaiswal c Rishabh Pant b Mohammed Shami 22(12) [4s-4]

Dhruv Jurel is in at three. Shami gets two in two! Absolute jaffa takes Jurel’s outside edge and he has to walk back for a GOLDEN DUCK!

Dhruv Jurel c Rishabh Pant b Mohammed Shami 0(1)

Prince Yadav is into the attack. Jaiswal guides it off his pads to square leg for a single and wait a minute the overthrow goes to the boundary! FIVE RUNS FOR RR!

Sooryavanshi flicks it off his pads on the leg side for FOUR! Short and wide from Prince, Sooryavanshi cuts it for another FOUR!

Sooryanshi tucks it straight to short fine, dot ball. That’s too short from Prince, good take by the keeper, wide given.

Another short ball to follow, Sooryavanshi can’t get bat on that, dot ball.

Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi walk out to open the batting for RR. Shami takes the new ball for LSG as expected. Jaiswal on strike, two slips in place.

First ball, wide down leg side. Ooooh that’s close hits Jaiswal’s pads, LSG appeals but its not given. LSG don’t take the review.

That shapes away from Jaiswal who leaves it alone. Jaiswal charges and that’s too wide outside off stump.

Jaiswal taps it on the off side, dot ball. Jaiswal tugs it off his pads fine of deep fine leg for FOUR! Diving effort is not enough to stop the boundary!

Shami comes from around the wicket, Jaiswal leaves it alone. Cuts it to deep backward point for a single. Seven off the first over.

RR captain Riyan Parag said at the toss he was happy to bat first and will be hoping his side can put up a better batting performance compared to what it could achieve against KKR. 

Mayank Yadav is in for LSG, and along with the inform Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav, expect LSG’s bowlers to test RR’s batters. This promises to be yet another exciting contest. IPL fans, are you ready? Here we go.....

Out come Riyan Parag and Rishabh Pant, up goes the coin, and Lucknow Super Giants will bowl first. Pant says his side is still figuring out conditions, but wants to put the opposition under pressure. His side has only made small changes, Digvesh Rathi and Mayank Yadav have come in place of M. Siddharth and Avesh Khan.

Parag says he was confused about what to do, and so he is happy to bat first. Same team for RR.

Enough has been said about Nicholas Pooran’s form and unfortunately for the West Indian, he has looked clueless and doesn’t look anywhere near finding the light at the end of the tunnel.

Pooran averages 8.5 in six innings so far, and his strike rate of 80 is the lowest among batters who have faced 30 balls or more. 

Pooran’s poor form is only a part of the larger problem that is LSG’ entire batting lineup- none of its batters have been able to get going so far, a team which has one of the most explosive batting lineups on paper.

Rajasthan Royals got off to a flying start this season, winning all four of its first four games but its last two games ended in losses. 

It’s not alarm bells just yet but RR and Riyan Parag will be wary of not going down the path of how the franchise has performed in the recent past.

In the 2024 season, RR won eight of its first nine games only to lose five matches on the trot in the business end of the season which cost them a place in the top two, and eventually bowing out of the season in Qualifier 2.

Similarly, in 2023, it won four out of the first five only to lose five out of its last six games to miss out on the Playoffs. 

Lucknow Super Giants’ opening partnership of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh was one of its strengths in 2025, but it has been something of a musical chair in 2026. 

Rishabh Pant opened with Marsh in the first match of the season, before Markram moved back up to the top from the second match onwards. The pair remained with mixed returns until the last match, where Markram dropped down to five and Ayush Badoni joined Marsh up top.

Will Badoni continue opening tonight?

It was a thrilling two run win for Lucknow Super Giants the last time the two sides faced off against each other in the 2025 season.

Batting first, LSG posted 180 on the board thanks to half centuries from Mitchell Marsh and Ayush Badoni. 

Rajasthan Royals looked well set to chase it down after a 50 run opening stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

But a three wicket haul from Avesh Khan helped LSG win by two runs in the end. 

Rajasthan Royals’ top-order has been in fine form so far this season, but newly-appointed skipper Riyan Parag has found things a little tougher with bat in hand.

The 24-year-old has managed 61 runs from six innings so far at a strike-rate of 122, and was dismissed for 12 from 14 deliveries in the side’s last match against KKR. This is a far cry from the last two seasons, where he has put up over 900 runs at a strike-rate of over 150.

Can he come good tonight, on a track where runs have been hard to come by so far this season?

LSG’s record at the Ekana Stadium is woeful, having won only two out of nine matches it has played at home since 2025. Even this season, LSG are winless at home so far, with both of its victories coming away from home. 

With the season entering the halfway stage and LSG already on the backfoot with four losses from six games, any further stutter will prove to be costly and will further deter its Playoff chances. 

Hello, and welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the IPL 2026 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow!

Stay with us as we bring you all the updates from what promises to be an exciting clash from two sides eagerly searching for a win.