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Get IPL predictions for the upcoming round of fixtures at the 2026 tournament. We’re in for a few entertaining clashes.
Read on for more about these key Indian Premier League clashes.
Punjab Kings v Gujarat Titans
Key talking points
Punjab Kings
Last season’s finalists enter 2026 with a strategy of continuity under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer.
The team has successfully retained its core, including explosive openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, who combined for over 1,000 runs last year.
They have also maintained the services of towering allrounder Marco Jansen. Their major off-season addition is Australian batting sensation Cooper Connolly, who replaces Josh Inglis at number three.
The Kings also fortified their domestic bowling by re-signing leg-spinner Pravin Dubey and adding young talent Vishal Nishad.
However, they lost some veteran experience with the release of Glenn Maxwell, who opted out of the 2026 auction to play in the PSL.
Gujarat Titans
The Titans, led by Shubman Gill, have undergone a strategic bowling transformation while retaining their most vital asset, Rashid Khan, as the spearhead of the spin attack.
The team made significant headlines by acquiring Mohammed Siraj to pair with a fully fit Kagiso Rabada, creating one of the league’s most formidable new-ball attacks.
Key new personnel include veteran all-rounder Jason Holder and English wicketkeeper-batter Tom Banton to provide middle-order depth.
While they lost Sherfane Rutherford in a trade to MI, the retention of Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan ensures their top order remains world-class.
Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
Teams have a slight preference for bowling first at this venue even though results are balanced, with teams batting first winning 6 matches and chasing teams winning 5 matches.
The average first innings score in the IPL is approximately 168 runs. In general, T20s, it tends to be slightly lower at 148 runs.
Shashank Singh of the Punjab Kings holds the record for the most IPL runs at this stadium, with 215 runs scored across 9 innings.
Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel are tied for the most IPL wickets at the venue; each having claimed 11 wickets.
The record for the highest team total at the venue is 228/5, set by Mumbai Indians against Gujarat Titans in May 2025.
The Punjab Kings’ Priyansh Arya holds the record for the highest individual score at the ground with an unbeaten 103 off 42 balls* against CSK in 2025.
Yuzvendra Chahal recorded the best bowling figures at this ground with 4/28 in 4 overs against KKR in April 2025.
Weather
Expect mostly cloudy but pleasant conditions in New Chandigarh on Tuesday evening. Temperatures will cool to about 24 degrees by 7:30pm, eventually dipping to a low of 20 degrees late at night.
While there is a slight chance of a light passing shower, conditions should remain largely dry with light breezes coming from the northeast.
Form
- PBKS: L, W, L, W, L.
- GT: L, L, L, W, W.
Predicted line-ups
PBKS: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
GT: Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Sai Sudharsan, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Impact: Sai Kishore.
Key players
Priyansh Arya
A breakout star of the 2025 season, Priyansh Arya has quickly become the X-factor for the Punjab Kings.
The aggressive left-handed opener is known for his fearless, see-ball-hit-ball approach, famously smashing a 39-ball century against CSK last year — the fifth-fastest in IPL history.
Arya’s ability to maintain an elite strike rate (currently 179.25 in the IPL) across the powerplay and middle overs makes him a nightmare for bowlers.
After making his India A debut earlier this year, he enters this match looking to provide the explosive starts PBKS needs to dominate the Titans’ pace attack.
Jos Buttler
One of the most dangerous white-ball batters in world cricket despite his recent struggles at the World Cup where he averaged just 10.87 and failed to cross the 30-run mark in eight innings.
However, his IPL pedigree is undeniable; he scored over 500 runs last season and holds a career IPL average of 40.
Slotting back into the top order alongside Shubman Gill, Buttler will be motivated to find his rhythm and prove he is still the threat the Titans paid big money for.
Prediction: Punjab Kings
Last season PBKS went all the way to the final with a squad that was light on stars and high on teamwork. They look set to follow a similar pattern again in 2026.
The Titans meanwhile have a host of big-name stars.
Jos Buttler and Kagiso Rabada both struggled for form at the World Cup and will be eager to turn their fortunes around as quickly as possible, but we are tipping the home side to start with a win.
Also read: Seven deadly bowlers who could dominate the IPL 2026 Purple Cap race
Lucknow Super Giants v Delhi Capitals
Key talking points
Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow enters the season under the leadership of Rishabh Pant, who was retained as captain after his record-shattering ₹27 crore acquisition last year.
To bolster a bowling unit that struggled with consistency, LSG made significant off-season moves by trading in veteran India pacer Mohammed Shami from SRH and acquiring the raw pace of Anrich Nortje in the mini auction.
They also added tactical depth with Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga and Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.
Notable departures include Ravi Bishnoi, David Miller, and Akash Deep, signalling a shift toward a more pace-heavy domestic core.
Delhi Capitals
The Capitals head into 2026 with a major leadership change, as Axar Patel takes over as the full-time captain. The biggest headline for DC is the arrival of KL Rahul, who is set to lead the top order after his high-profile move from LSG.
The team has revamped its batting lineup by securing Nitish Rana and South Africa powerhouse David Miller to provide middle-order stability.
While they face early-season concerns with Mitchell Starc being unavailable due to injury, they have fortified their bowling with T. Natarajan and Jammu and Kashmir sensation Auqib Nabi.
Ben Duckett was meant to feature but he has withdrawn from the series at the last minute to concentrate on resurrecting his international career.
Venue: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Teams generally prefer to bowl first at Ekana. Statistics show that chasing teams have won approximately 54% of matches (12 out of 22 games), often due to the dew factor in the second innings.
The average first innings score at the ground is approximately 175 runs. While it was historically lower (around 165), recent seasons have seen a significant shift toward higher totals.
KL Rahul holds the record for the most IPL runs at this stadium, having scored 540 runs in 13 innings.
Ravi Bishnoi is the leading wicket-taker at the venue in the IPL, with 19 wickets in 18 matches.
The record score at the ground is 235/6, set by the Kolkata Knight Riders against the Lucknow Super Giants in 2024.
Rishabh Pant holds the record for the highest individual IPL score at the ground, an unbeaten 118* off 42 balls for LSG against RCB in May 2025.
Mark Wood holds the best bowling figures at the stadium with 5/14 for LSG against the Delhi Capitals in April 2023.
Weather
It’s expected to be a warm and mostly clear evening in Lucknow on Wednesday. Nighttime temperatures will likely hover around 23 degrees, providing a slight relief from the daytime high of 36.
While the sky remains predominantly clear, some periodic clouds may appear. Humidity will be moderate at approximately 30–36%, with gentle northwest winds. No rain is forecast.
Form
- LSG: L, W, L, L, L.
- DC: W, L, L, NR, L.
Predicted line-ups
LSG: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Shami, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Impact: Digvesh Rathi.
DC: KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), David Miller, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Auqib Nabi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Impact: T. Natarajan.
Key players
Aiden Markram
Having been retained for a considerable fee after a stellar 2025 campaign, Aiden Markram has cemented his role as an explosive top-order anchor for LSG.
Last season, he accumulated 445 runs at an impressive strike rate of 148.82, adapting his technically sound game to meet the aggressive demands of the Impact Player rule.
Markram enters this game in peak form following a dominant 2026 T20 World Cup, where he maintained a strike rate of 175.16 — the highest among all tournament openers.
His ability to provide rapid starts while offering useful off spin makes him a key player for the Super Giants.
KL Rahul
After his high-profile release from LSG, KL Rahul has joined the Delhi Capitals for the 2026 season, bringing much-needed composure to their high-octane batting line up.
Rahul is expected to lead the top order, likely pairing with Pathum Nissanka to balance firepower with his trademark clinical accumulation.
With over 5,200 career IPL runs and an elite average of 46.21, his role is to anchor the innings, allowing power-hitters like David Miller to flourish later.
Facing his former franchise in his first away game of the season, Rahul’s motivation and intimate knowledge of the Ekana Stadium conditions will be critical for DC’s success.
Prediction: LSG
LSG started very well last season before fading as the tournament went on. Their success was built around their imposing top order of Mitch Marsh, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran – all of whom are back for more in 2026.
Rishabh Pant struggled last season, but he should arrive in 2026 more rested and in a better place than last time. He also has plenty to prove as he slowly moves further away from contention for the Indian T20 side.
The Capitals are an imposing outfit with an excellent record against LSG, but we are tipping the home side to get the job done.
Kolkata Knight Riders v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Key talking points
Knight Riders
KKR showed immense batting depth in their opening six-wicket loss to MI, posting a massive 220/4 at the Wankhede.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane (67) and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi (51) were in sparkling form, though Rahane ended up nursing calf cramps ahead of this home opener.
The team’s primary concern will be their expensive bowling unit; despite Sunil Narine’s relatively economical spell, they struggled to defend a high total and managed just three wickets with the ball.
A major blow is the temporary unavailability of Cameron Green for bowling duties due to a back complaint, meaning he will play as a specialist batter for the next 10 days.
KKR will rely on their spin-heavy strategy at Eden Gardens as they seek to stifle SRH’s power-hitters.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
SRH enters this clash following a heavy defeat against RCB, where their bowling attack was dismantled by Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal.
While the bowlers struggled, captain Ishan Kishan provided a major silver lining with a blistering 80 off 38 balls. He and Aniket Verma (43) proved SRH have the firepower to chase big totals.
Head coach Daniel Vettori has called for a more disciplined bowling performance from the likes of Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat.
While SRH are a side filled with big-name hitters, without Aussie skipper Pat Cummins, who remains sidelined for the early stages of the season, their bowling unit does have a somewhat fragile look to it.
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Teams predominantly prefer to bowl first in Kolkata. Chasing teams have won approximately 57 percent of the 100-plus IPL matches played at this venue.
The average first innings score at the ground is approximately 165–170 runs. However, recent seasons have seen this average climb significantly, with scores frequently exceeding 190 in high-scoring encounters.
Gautam Gambhir holds the record for the most IPL runs at Eden Gardens, amassing 1,407 runs during his tenure with KKR and Delhi.
Sunil Narine is the leading wicket-taker at the ground with 72 wickets, the most by any player at a single venue in IPL history.
The record score at the venue is 262/2, set by the Punjab Kings against KKR in April 2024, which was also the highest successful run chase in T20 history at the time.
Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) holds the record for the highest individual score at the ground with an unbeaten 112 off 54 balls against Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 Eliminator.
Sunil Narine recorded the best bowling figures at this stadium with 5/19 against the Punjab Kings in 2012.
Weather
Thursday evening in Kolkata will be warm and humid, with temperatures settling around 28 degrees.
While the day remains mostly sunny, the night may bring increased cloud cover and a slight chance of a stray thundershower, typical for this time of year.
Humidity will be high at 75 percent, making it feel quite muggy, while gentle southerly breezes provide some light relief.
Form
- KKR: L, L, A, L, W.
- SRH: L, W, W, W, NR.
Predicted line-ups
KKR: Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Cameron Green, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Blessing Muzarabani, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy. Impact Sub: Umran Malik.
SRH: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (c/wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Liam Livingstone, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Brydon Carse, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari. Impact Sub: Harsh Dubey.
Key players
Cameron Green
As the most expensive overseas signing in IPL history, Cameron Green carries the massive responsibility of filling the void left by the retired Andre Russell.
While a lower-back injury has temporarily restricted his bowling duties, his batting remains KKR’s primary engine.
Green’s ability to counter spin on the traditionally turning Eden Gardens track will be vital, especially after KKR’s narrow opening-match loss.
His high-intensity training and nothing to lose mindset, as noted by coach Shane Watson, make him the essential anchor around which KKR’s middle order will revolve.
Heinrich Klaasen
Veteran South African Heinrich Klaasen remains a destructive force in the powerful SRH lineup, coming off a spectacular 2025 season where he smashed 487 runs at a strike rate of 172.70.
He holds a psychological edge at this venue, having previously scored a 37-ball century against KKR — the third-fastest in IPL history.
In SRH’s 2026 opener, Klaasen looked set for another big score with 31 off 21 balls before a controversial boundary catch ended his stay.
As the joint-highest century-maker for the franchise, his ability to dominate world-class spinners like Sunil Narine makes him the key to SRH breaching a massive total.
Prediction: SRH
This is a tough one to call and a lot will depend on how SRH bowl. There is no doubt about the capability of their batting with Heinrich Klaasen one of the best players of spin around.
But their bowling needs to fire if they are to bag a first win. Both sides will be pushing hard after opening game losses and we are tipping SRH to see this one out.
Read next: The most unbelievable IPL records that you really need to know
The post IPL 2026 predictions: expert picks for the upcoming fixtures appeared first on Cricket365.
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