LSG host PBKS with both teams' playoffs hopes hanging by a thread

Must win vs LSG – a loss ends their campaign. Need help Sunday: MI must beat RR, and DC must beat KKR.RR win over MI = PBKS eliminated. KKR win over DC = NRR battle. PBKS currently have slight NRR edge +0.227 over KKR.Bottom line*: Win big vs LSG, then hope for favours. One of those wins was over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the teams' first meeting this season. But a long time seems to have passed since then. Once on the path to finish the league stage as table toppers, PBKS now run the risk of missing out on the playoffs. Just one spot is up for grabs, and not only must PBKS beat LSG on Saturday to stand a chance of taking that but also hope Mumbai Indians (MI) beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday. A defeat against LSG will end PBKS' hopes. Dream start: Record 265-run chase vs DC on April 25. Unbeaten till midway, 6 wins in 7, looked title contenders. Disastrous slide: Lost 6 in a row since. Why it happened:Top order failure: Priyansh Arya 1 fifty in last 7, duck last game. Prabhsimran 1 fifty in last 5. Cooper Connolly not converting starts.Captain dip: Shreyas Iyer only 1 fifty in 6 defeats.Bowling/fielding: Arshdeep 14 wickets but economy 9.78. Catches dropped off Chahal. Momentum lost every game. But PBKS will have to find a way through that opening pair early, and do what is in their hands to finally register a win after almost a month. Even if that happens, they will need help from MI to progress. Form: Eliminated but Marsh 111, 90, 96 in last 4 innings. Inglis partnering him. Motivation: Spoilers. Home crowd at Ekana. Freedom to attack. Coach Ponting on PBKS: “Now or never… we only have ourselves to blame”. PBKS: Arshdeep Singh confirmed fit after rumours. Leading wicket-taker with 14. H2H: 3-3 from 6 games. PBKS won last 3 meetings. Earlier this season: PBKS beat LSG by 54 runs after posting 254/7.Bottom line: For PBKS it’s simple – beat LSG and pray. After a 6-game freefall from 1st to 5th, Shreyas Iyer’s side needs a “spectacular” turnaround or their season ends. LSG have pride and Marsh’s form, and nothing to lose. The match at the Ekana Stadium will be played on pitch No. 5, a mixed-soil pitch. So it could have something in it for both batters and bowlers. So far in five matches this season completed in regular time in Lucknow, chasing teams have a 3-2 edge over teams batting first. A high of 35 degrees Celsius is expected in Lucknow on Saturday, with no chance of rain.