IPL 2026: Why is Mitchell Marsh not playing for LSG vs PBKS today?

Marsh has been in exceptional form for LSG despite a slow season for the franchise, as the batter amassed 563 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 163.19 in 13 matches

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are hosting Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their final game of IPL 2026 today at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, with a chance to avoid a wooden-spoon finish on the line.

 

However, LSG suffered a huge setback ahead of the game as their most successful batter of the season, Mitchell Marsh, will not be playing against PBKS as he has already returned home to join the Australian squad for the three-match ODI series set to commence on May 30 in Rawalpindi.

 

Skipper Rishabh Pant confirmed Marsh’s absence after the toss while announcing Arshin Kulkarni as his replacement in the playing 11.

 

 

Notably, Marsh has been in exceptional form for LSG despite a poor season for the franchise, as the batter amassed 563 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 163.19 in 13 matches.  IPL 2026 Match 68, LSG vs PBKS: LIVE SCORE | FULL SCORECARD | PLAYING 11 | LIVE STREAMING

 

Multiple changes in both squads

 

The coin toss went PBKS’ way, and they invited LSG to bat first. LSG made four changes to their squad, as apart from Kulkarni replacing Marsh, Arjun Tendulkar, Mukul Choudhary and Md Shami returned in place of Akash Singh, Mayank Yadav and Shahbaz Ahmed.

 

On the other hand, PBKS also made two changes, with Marco Jansen and Vijaykumar Vyshak returning in place of Harpreet Brar and Marcus Stoinis.

 

IPL 2026: LSG vs PBKS playing 11

 

Lucknow Super Giants Playing 11: Josh Inglis, Arshin Kulkarni, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Arjun Tendulkar, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan

 

Impact players: Shahbaz, Rathi, M Siddharth, Himmat, Akash

 

Punjab Kings Playing 11: 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 player: Harpreet, Stoinis, Bartlett, Vinod, Pravin Dubey