IPL 2026: LSG vs KKR, Match 38 – Top player battles to watch out for

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will battle it out against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Match 38 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday, April 26.

Both sides are currently towards the bottom of the points table and desperately need a win to have any chances of qualifying for the playoffs. While LSG are on a four-match losing run, KKR picked up their maiden win of the season last time around against the Rajasthan Royals.

Rishabh Pant’s side last tasted success against the very opposition they are set to play against on Sunday. LSG won the reverse fixture at the Eden Gardens by three wickets off the last ball.

Bowling is the strong point for both sides, and with the Ekana wicket historically aiding the bowlers, fans can expect a challenging contest for the batters. LSG’s batting unit has been out of form in recent matches, while KKR spinners are starting to find their rhythm as the tournament progresses. 

Here are 3 player battles for LSG vs KKR, Match 38 of IPL 2026:

3. Angkrish Raghuvanshi vs Mohammed Shami

Amongst the struggles KKR have had with the bat, Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been a ray of hope. The right-handed batter is currently his side’s leading run-scorer with 210 runs at a strike-rate of 142.85.

The 21-year-old is expected to face an experienced and in-form Mohammed Shami with the new ball. The duo have only faced each other twice in the IPL before, with Raghuvanshi scoring 11 runs at a strike-rate of 122.22.

2. Aiden Markram vs Sunil Narine

Aiden Markram has been batting in the middle order for LSG, rather than in the top order as he has in the past. The South African batter can expect to face the evergreen Sunil Narine following the powerplay.

The duo have faced one another in eight innings in the IPL, with Narine keeping things quiet. Markram has only scored 47 runs at a strike-rate of 92.15 and has been dismissed once by the former West Indies spinner.

1. Rishabh Pant vs Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy’s return to form is fantastic news for KKR and their chances in the second half of the season. The spinner has taken five wickets in the last two matches, whilst being extremely economical.

This does not bode well for an inconsistent Rishabh Pant. The left-handed batter does not have the best of records against Chakravarthy in the IPL. The duo have faced off six times in the tournament, with the KKR spinner getting the better of the LSG captain thrice. Pant, on the other hand, has scored just 31 runs from 30 balls.