PBKS Won by 7 Wickets Against LSG in IPL 2026 Match 68 Shreyas Iyer Century Fires Punjab Kings Back Into Playoffs Race
Punjab Kings are back in the Playoffs conversation. Shreyas Iyer smashed a brilliant 101 not out off 51 balls to lead PBKS to a seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Cricket Stadium on May 23. Chasing 197, Punjab knocked it off in just 18 overs — losing only three wickets. With this win, PBKS move to 15 points and keep their hopes of reaching the Qualifier 1 or Eliminator alive heading into the final round of IPL 2026 league games.
Match Result at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | LSG vs PBKS, IPL 2026 Match 68 |
| Venue | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| Date | May 23, 2026 |
| LSG Score | 196/6 (20 overs) |
| PBKS Score | 200/3 (18 overs) |
| Result | PBKS won by 7 wickets (12 balls remaining) |
| Player of the Match | Shreyas Iyer (101* off 51) |
LSG Innings — 196/6 in 20 Overs
Lucknow Super Giants put up a competitive 196 largely thanks to Josh Inglis at the top and Ayush Badoni in the middle. Inglis was magnificent — 72 off 44 balls with nine fours and two sixes — before being caught off Shashank Singh in the 17th over. Badoni came in and immediately exploded: 43 off 18 balls including five fours and three sixes before Chahal dismissed him.
Rishabh Pant made 26 off 22 before falling to Chahal as well. Abdul Samad finished strongly with 37 not out off 20 balls to push LSG past 190. On another day, 196 could have been enough. Tonight it was not.
Marco Jansen and Yuzvendra Chahal were the standout bowlers for PBKS — Jansen took 2/33 in four overs and Chahal was exceptional with 2/25 in four, the most economical spell of the LSG innings.
LSG Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Inglis | c Iyer b Shashank Singh | 72 | 44 | 9 | 2 | 163.63 |
| Arshin Kulkarni | c Prabhsimran b Omarzai | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Nicholas Pooran | b Jansen | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Ayush Badoni | st Prabhsimran b Chahal | 43 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 238.88 |
| Rishabh Pant (c) | c Jansen b Chahal | 26 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 118.18 |
| Abdul Samad | not out | 37 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 185.00 |
| Mukul Choudhary | c sub b Jansen | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Arjun Tendulkar | not out | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | lb 2, w 8 | 10 | ||||
| Total | 20 overs | 196/6 | RR: 9.80 |
PBKS Bowling
| Bowler | O | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arshdeep Singh | 3 | 52 | 0 | 17.33 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 3 | 29 | 1 | 9.66 |
| Marco Jansen | 4 | 33 | 2 | 8.25 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 4 | 25 | 2 | 6.25 |
| Vijaykumar Vyshak | 3 | 26 | 0 | 8.66 |
| Shashank Singh | 3 | 29 | 1 | 9.66 |
PBKS Chase — 200/3 in 18 Overs
Punjab Kings lost Priyansh Arya first ball to Mohammed Shami and Cooper Connolly went cheaply for 18 in the third over. At 2/22, PBKS needed someone to stand up. Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer answered — loudly.
Prabhsimran made 69 off 39 balls — seven fours and two sixes — and built a third-wicket stand of 140 runs with his captain. When he was dismissed in the 15th over PBKS still needed 35 off five overs, well within reach given Iyer was still at the crease and flying.
Shreyas Iyer was sensational. He reached his half-century off 33 balls then accelerated to reach his century off 51 — 11 fours and five sixes in one of the best captain’s knocks of this IPL season. He finished 101 not out as PBKS knocked off the target with two overs to spare.
It was a statement win. PBKS have been written off for weeks after six straight losses. Iyer’s hundred tonight changes the conversation completely.
PBKS Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priyansh Arya | c Tendulkar b Shami | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Prabhsimran Singh | lbw b Tendulkar | 69 | 39 | 7 | 2 | 176.92 |
| Cooper Connolly | b Shami | 18 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 180.00 |
| Shreyas Iyer (c) | not out | 101 | 51 | 11 | 5 | 198.03 |
| Suryansh Shedge | not out | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 128.57 |
| Extras | w 3 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 18 overs | 200/3 | RR: 11.11 |
LSG Bowling
| Bowler | O | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Shami | 4 | 45 | 2 | 11.25 |
| Prince Yadav | 3 | 32 | 0 | 10.66 |
| Mohsin Khan | 4 | 48 | 0 | 12.00 |
| Digvesh Rathi | 3 | 39 | 0 | 13.00 |
| Arjun Tendulkar | 4 | 36 | 1 | 9.00 |
What This Means for the IPL 2026 Playoffs Race
This result makes the final round of league games absolutely fascinating. PBKS move to 15 points. They are not in the top four yet but they are right on the edge. Whether they reach the Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, or miss out entirely now depends on what happens in the remaining fixtures.
Here is the current picture on the IPL 2026 points table:
| Team | PTS | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 18 | Qualified — Qualifier 1 contender |
| Gujarat Titans | 18 | Qualified — Qualifier 1 contender |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 16 | Strong Playoffs position |
| Rajasthan Royals | 14 | Playoffs likely |
| Punjab Kings | 15 | Back in the race after tonight |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 13 | Need win + results |
RCB and GT are locked in and fighting for the top-two spot that earns a direct path to the Qualifier 1. SRH look almost certain for third. The fourth spot is where PBKS, KKR, and RR are all scrapping.
PBKS’s NRR of +0.227 gives them a decent buffer over KKR (+0.011) in case of a points tie. The full IPL 2026 schedule will determine exactly how this plays out.
Shreyas Iyer’s Captaincy Innings
This knock deserves its own mention. At 2/22 chasing 197, plenty of sides fold. Iyer walked in and took complete control. He did not slog from ball one — he built the innings, rotated strike with Prabhsimran, and then opened up completely in the back half. Eleven fours and five sixes from a batter who was under serious pressure given PBKS’s six-match losing streak before tonight. A captain’s hundred in a must-win game — exactly what this team needed.
For everything on the PBKS squad heading into their final fixtures, check the Punjab Kings squad page.
Key Moments From the Match
- Arshdeep Singh went for 52 in three overs — his worst bowling return of IPL 2026 by some distance
- Chahal’s 2/25 was the best bowling performance of the match and kept LSG under 200
- Iyer’s century came off 51 balls — the fastest hundred by a PBKS batter in this season
- The Prabhsimran-Iyer third wicket stand of 140 off 85 balls was the match-winning partnership
- PBKS won with 12 balls remaining — a dominant chase that completely changed the Playoffs picture
Stay across all the latest results and qualification news through the IPL 2026 updates section.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the result of LSG vs PBKS IPL 2026 Match 68?
Punjab Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants by 7 wickets with 12 balls remaining at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow on May 23, 2026. PBKS chased 197 and reached 200/3 in 18 overs.
How many runs did Shreyas Iyer score against LSG?
Shreyas Iyer scored an unbeaten 101 off 51 balls — 11 fours and five sixes — at a strike rate of 198.03. It is one of the best individual innings of IPL 2026.
Are PBKS still in the Playoffs race after this win?
Yes. PBKS move to 15 points after this win and are very much alive in the fight for the Eliminator or even the top four. Their final standing depends on results in the remaining league matches.
Who were the top performers for LSG in the match?
Josh Inglis scored 72 off 44 and Ayush Badoni hit 43 off 18 for LSG in a competitive 196/6. Abdul Samad’s late 37 not out also helped push the total past 190.
What is PBKS’s NRR after the win vs LSG?
PBKS’s NRR improved and now stands at +0.227, which keeps them ahead of KKR on net run rate in the Playoffs race despite being level on points with them.
Who took the most wickets for PBKS vs LSG?
Marco Jansen and Yuzvendra Chahal both took two wickets each. Chahal’s 2/25 in four overs at an economy of 6.25 was the stand-out bowling performance of the night for Punjab Kings.
