IPL 2026: Why is Shahbaz Ahmed not playing LSG vs PBKS Match 68?

Published - 23 May 2026, 19:04 IST | Updated - 23 May 2026, 19:25 IST

Punjab Kings (PBKS) need to beat the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Saturday, May 23, at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium to keep their playoff hopes alive. Rishabh Pant's Super Giants have already been eliminated and don't have anything to lose.

Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bowl first. He said that despite being on a six-match losing streak, his players are looking forward to the do-or-die contest. Meanwhile, Pant admitted that he would have also bowled first had he won the toss.

Lucknow Super Giants have four changes in their side from the last game. Mitchell Marsh is set to join the Australian squad in Pakistan and wasn't available for this game. His place has been taken by Arshin Kulkarni. Mayank Yadav has also been benched, with Mohammed Shami replacing him. Mukul Choudhary and Arjun Tendulkar are also in the side. Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, and Akash Singh have been kept in the Impact Players' list. Rathi is expected to come in as the Impact Player.

As far as Punjab are concerned, Marco Jansen and Vijaykumar Vyshak are back in the side, with Harpreet Brar and Lockie Ferguson making way. Marcus Stoinis should come in as the Impact Player in the second innings.

We're going to bowl first. We've got two changes, Marco (Jansen) and Vyshak (Vijaykumar) come in. It is suddenly exciting (on being in a do-or-die situation). It's like a do or die game for us. I would say rather do. So it's looking forward to the challenge. Never been in this situation before, as in the league table. But the boys are super excited. They're eagerly waiting to see how it turns out at the end of the day.

I think we would have bowled first also because the wicket here, this wicket is good for batting irrespective of bowling first or batting first. It definitely is one of the better wickets where we have played this season. I think it's going to be one of the most high scoring matches. We have two changes. Arjun (Tendulkar) comes in and Arshin (Kulkarni) come in. Everyone knows it's been a tough season for us, but it has also been a time of significant learning, both as a team and personally. We sincerely apologize to our fans who have come in big numbers to support us from across the country, especially from all of UP. At the same time, we are determined to come back stronger as a team, regardless of the outcome, to cheer them up and we will give our 100%.

Josh Inglis, Arshin Kulkarni, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (WK/C), Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Arjun Tendulkar, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan.

Impact Players: Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Manimaran Siddharth, Himmat Singh, Akash Maharaj Singh

Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (C), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Impact Players: Harpreet Brar, Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Praveen Dubey