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The momentum was with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a substantial amount of time. But it was the Punjab Kings (PBKS) who emerged as the winner in the 68th match in the ongoing IPL 2026 season.
LSG were already out of the title race. The match against PBKS could be the perfect stage for them to save some pride. LSG had a good amount of runs on the scoreboard, and they started bowling well in the second innings too.
PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer was the wrecker-in-chief
All of the efforts went in vain because of the century of Shreyas Iyer. Shreyas Iyer, the captain of PBKS, was named the best player of the match for playing an unbeaten 101-run knock off 51 balls for a winning cause.
While Shreyas Iyer and his boys were in joy at the Ekana cricket ground, his counterpart, Rishabh Pant, had to survive another tough post-match presentation ceremony. Pant said that for them, it was another harsh pill to swallow. He believes that the total of 196 was enough to confirm a win, but they could not protect that.
According to the stats, Punjab Kings have now won all four games against LSG since 2025, and this is their third win in 4 games against LSG at Lucknow. Riding high on Iyer’s unbeaten century, PBKS got the win by 7 wickets in the final ball of the 18th over.
A six from Iyer’s blade helped him to get his maiden IPL century, as well as secured the vital win. Prabhsimran Singh also played his part well. The partnership of Prabhsimran and Shreyas turned things around for Punjab.
Another hard night for the LSG and Rishabh Pant
Pant did not blame his bowlers, but pointed out the nature of the surface. The home team captain said it was easier to bat in the second innings at Ekana Cricket Stadium. After the disastrous season, the LSG skipper wanted to take the positives.
Rishabh Pant mentioned some of the players of their team who have left a positive impact on his season. Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, and Prince Yadav are among the players who have impressed Rishabh Pant a lot. He mentioned Mohsin Khan and Mohammed Shami as well in his brief after the match.
We have to bite the bullet: Rishabh Pant
“Initial thoughts are, It’s a tough one, we have to bite the bullet, keep our head high, it has been a lot of learning … tough season for us for sure. I think we scored enough. It’s harder in the second innings because the batting gets easier; that’s why everyone wants to field first. As a team, we want to look at the positives.”
“Josh Inglis, Mitch Marsh, Prince had a terrific season, Mohsin coming back from injury … Shami bhai. Definitely a lot of positives. It’s been a long season, but we promise to come back stronger next year,” Rishabh Pant said after the match.
Read More: IPL Points Table 2026: Updated Standings, Orange Cap, Purple Cap After LSG vs PBKS Match 68
