As the IPL 2026 season heats up, all eyes turn to the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow this Friday evening for a pivotal clash between the Lucknow Super Giants and the Chennai Super Kings. While LSG may be playing for pride after their elimination from the tournament, CSK are very much alive in the playoff race—and a win here would put them one step closer to glory.

This isn't just another game for Chennai. Riding a three-match winning streak, they carry momentum and confidence into this fixture. Their last encounter with LSG on May 10 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium ended in a convincing five-wicket victory, and they'll be eager to replicate that performance on the road.

For Lucknow, it's about finishing the season on a high note. Despite being out of contention, they have a talented squad eager to prove their mettle and spoil CSK's playoff ambitions. Expect a spirited performance from a team with nothing to lose.

Here's a look at the predicted playing XIs for both sides:

Chennai Super Kings (predicted): Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary
Impact subs: Gurjapneet Singh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Madhwal

Lucknow Super Giants (predicted): Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Aiden Markram, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Rathi
Impact subs: Mukul Choudhary, Avesh Khan, Abdul Samad, M Siddharth, Mayank Yadav

With playoff implications and a fierce rivalry at stake, this is a match no cricket fan will want to miss. Whether you're backing the in-form Super Kings or hoping for a final flourish from the Super Giants, gear up for an evening of high-stakes T20 action.