IPL 2026 LSG vs PBKS Today Match Live: The pressure will be immense on Punjab Kings when they face Lucknow Super Giants in a must-win IPL encounter in Lucknow on Saturday. Once among the strongest teams this season, Punjab now find themselves clinging to slim playoff hopes after a shocking collapse in form. Punjab’s season looked destined for success after their stunning 265-run chase against Delhi Capitals on April 25. At that stage, they had won six of their first seven matches and appeared to be genuine title challengers. However, things have spiralled badly since then, with the side suffering six consecutive defeats to slip to fifth place in the standings.For Punjab to stay alive in the playoff race, they must first beat LSG and then hope results on Sunday go their way. They need Rajasthan Royals to defeat Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals to overcome Kolkata Knight Riders. A KKR win could bring net run rate into the equation, though Punjab currently hold a slight advantage there.The team’s downfall has largely come from a dramatic dip in batting form. Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, who provided explosive starts earlier in the tournament, have struggled badly in recent games. Cooper Connolly has shown promise without converting starts, while captain Shreyas Iyer has also endured a lean patch during the losing streak.Punjab’s bowling and fielding have added to their troubles, with costly dropped catches and expensive spells hurting them repeatedly.Lucknow Super Giants, meanwhile, are already out of contention after a disappointing campaign. Still, they will aim to finish positively in front of their home fans. Their recent home form offers encouragement, having beaten Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings in their last two matches at Ekana Stadium.Australian pair Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis have been key positives for LSG, while Nicholas Pooran and skipper Rishabh Pant will look to end difficult seasons on a strong note. The hosts are also awaiting clarity on Mohammed Shami’s availability after he missed the previous game.Match: Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab KingsDate: May 23, SaturdayVenue: Ekana Cricket Stadium, LucknowChannel/Streaming: Willow TV App/Fubo/Sling TVStart Time: 10 AM ETHOW TO WATCH LSG VS PBKS LIVE IN UKMatch: Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab KingsDate: May 23, SaturdayVenue: Ekana Cricket Stadium, LucknowChannel/Streaming: Sky SportsStart Time: 3 PM BSTSQUADS:Lucknow Super Giants: Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Akash Maharaj Singh, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Mukul Choudhary, Manimaran Siddharth, Himmat Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Mohammed Shami, Aiden Markram, George Linde, Anrich Nortje, Matthew Breetzke, Arjun Tendulkar, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Naman Tiwari, Avesh KhanPunjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey, Ben Dwarshuis, Marco Jansen, Mitchell Owen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Singh, Pyla Avinash, Vishal Nishad