Lucknow, March 19 – The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) intensified their preparations for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) by participating in a high-scoring practice match against the UP T20 League side, Kashi Rudras, at the Sports Galaxy Cricket Academy on Thursday.
Captain Rishabh Pant played batting roles for both the Super Giants and the opposing team, "KR XI," as he aimed to fine-tune his batting skills ahead of the upcoming season. Batting first, the Super Giants posted a strong total, driven by aggressive cameos from Pant, Arshin Kulkarni, and Shahbaz Ahmed.
The bowling attack of Kashi Rudras featured LSG pacers Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, and Mohsin Khan. The trio tested the LSG batsmen with a mix of disciplined swing and sharp bouncers.
In the second half of the practice game, Kashi Rudras displayed similar firepower. Pant, along with his LSG teammate Mukul Chaudhary, Shubham, and Abhishek, frequently cleared the boundaries, delighting the local crowd.
On the bowling front for LSG, young pacer Mayank Yadav and wrist-spinner Digvesh Rathi were the standout performers, supported by economical spells from Shahbaz and Arjun Tendulkar.
The match attracted a significant number of young cricketers from the local academy, who gathered to support the team. After the session, several LSG players interacted with the fans, signing autographs and participating in photo sessions.
LSG also confirmed that the domestic contingent has now fully assembled in Lucknow. The squad is expected to reach full strength this weekend, with overseas players scheduled to arrive in Lucknow from Friday onwards.
LSG will kick off their 2026 IPL campaign against Delhi Capitals on April 1 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The franchise previously had a pre-season camp in Chennai at the Coaching Beyond academy ground.