Shreyas Iyer (Pic credit: IPL)

NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings may have opened their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign with a thrilling win, but skipper Shreyas Iyer found himself in trouble with the league for a slow over-rate during the match against Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh on Tuesday.PBKS edged GT by three wickets in a tense chase, riding on a superb debut performance from Cooper Connolly, who struck an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls. However, the victory was followed by disciplinary action, as the IPL confirmed that Iyer had been fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate — the first such offence in IPL 2026.

Why was Shreyas Iyer fined?

According to the IPL’s official statement, the penalty falls under Article 2.22 of the Code of Conduct, which deals with minimum over-rate offences. Since it was Punjab’s first offence of the season, Iyer received a fine of Rs 12 lakh.The statement read: “PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match No. 4… As this was his team’s first offence under Article 2.22, he was fined INR 12 lakhs.”Captains are held accountable for ensuring their teams complete overs within the stipulated time, failing which penalties — including fines and potential suspensions for repeat offences — are imposed.

Connolly shines in nervy PBKS win

On the field, Punjab’s campaign began on a high note. Chasing 163, the hosts looked in control before a sudden collapse threatened to derail the chase. Prasidh Krishna triggered panic with a three-wicket burst, reducing Punjab from 110/2 to 118/6.However, Connolly held his nerve, stitching crucial partnerships and guiding the team home with five balls to spare. He was named Player of the Match for his composed knock.Reflecting on the tense finish, Iyer said, “These things happen in the IPL. You have to stay composed. Cooper was there, calm and composed.”He also praised the young Australian, adding, “Cooper has got a great mindset… some of the shots he played were surreal, especially against Rashid.”Next challenge awaitsPunjab will next face Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on April 3. The five-time champions, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, are coming off an eight-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals and will be eager to bounce back.

Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel (Pic credit: IPL)

NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant faces a defining IPL 2026 season as he leads Lucknow Super Giants into their opener against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. After a mixed first year as captain, Pant now has a fully fit squad, with key additions like Mohammed Shami and Anrich Nortje bolstering the pace attack. The return of Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan further strengthens their bowling.LSG’s batting looks settled, with Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram at the top, while Pant is expected to bat higher up the order alongside Nicholas Pooran.Delhi, meanwhile, aim for stability after last season’s inconsistency. KL Rahul is set to open, with options like Prithvi Shaw in contention. Their bowling remains a strength, led by spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, with Lungi Ngidi and T Natarajan adding depth.

LSG vs DC Head-to-Head

Pitch No. 4 is likely to be in use for today’s fixture at the Ekana Stadium. The average first-innings score here last season was 187, a slight drop from 203 in 2024. Weather conditions in Lucknow are expected to be clear, with temperatures around 28°C in the evening and no rain forecast.

LSG vs DC: Predicted XIs

Lucknow Super Giants predicted XI: Mitchell Marsh*, Aiden Markram*, Nicholas Pooran*, Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Shami, Mayank Yadav, Digvesh RathiImpact Sub: Anrich Nortje*Delhi Capitals predicted XI: KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka*, Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs*, Axar Patel (capt), David Miller*, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Auqib Nabi, Dushmantha Chameera*, Kuldeep YadavImpact Sub: T Natarajan

LSG vs DC: Lucknow Weather Update

Clouds and sunshine are expected during the day, with the temperature peaking around 36°C. Conditions will remain partly cloudy at night, with the temperature dropping to around 23°C.It is set to be a hot evening during match time, with no rain expected. The temperature is likely to be around 33°C at toss and could ease to about 28°C by 11 PM.

LSG vs DC: Live Streaming details

The LSG vs DC clash will be held at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, with the match set to begin at 7:30 PM IST. The game will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.

LSG vs DC squads

Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni, Matthew Breetzke, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Arshin Kulkarni, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akash Maharaj Singh, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Arjun Sachin Tendulkar, Mayank Prabhu Yadav, Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje, Josh Inglis, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, Naman Tiwari, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Mukul Choudhary.Delhi Capitals: Abishek Porel, KL Rahul, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Tripurana Vijay, David Miller, Auqib Nabi Dar, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Prithvi Shaw, Kyle Jamieson, Ajay Jadav Mandal, T Natarajan, Madhav Tiwari, Karun Nair, Sahil Parakh.

NEW DELHI: Cooper Connolly starred with a fine unbeaten half-century as Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans by three wickets in their opening Indian Premier League match on Tuesday, but it was a post-match celebration that grabbed just as much attention.A video of Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer’s sister Shresta Iyer performing bhangra went viral on social media, adding to the buzz around PBKS’ thrilling win.Soon after the win, Shresta shared her celebration on Instagram, writing: “Strong start, stronger intent. Ab bas jeet pe focus”. A disciplined bowling effort had earlier helped PBKS restrict GT to 162 for six after opting to bowl, with Vijaykumar Vyshak (3/34), Yuzvendra Chahal (2/28) and Marco Jansen (1/20) sharing the wickets. For GT, skipper Shubman Gill (39), Jos Buttler (38), Glenn Phillips (25) and Washington Sundar (18) made key contributions.In reply, PBKS chased down the target in 19.1 overs, with Connolly (72 not out off 44 balls) leading the charge. Prasidh Krishna (3/29), Rashid Khan (1/29) and Washington Sundar (1/27) picked up wickets for GT.

Shreyas Iyer (BCCI Photo)

NEW DELHI: The tension in the Punjab Kings dugout was clearly evident when captain Shreyas Iyer was seen in pain, clutching his wrist during their IPL 2026 clash against Gujarat Titans. A fierce drive from Connolly struck Iyer on the wrist at the non-striker’s end, forcing him to seek medical attention.Iyer looked in considerable discomfort as the physio attended to him on the field, applying ice to the injured area.However, there was relief all around when Iyer appeared for the post-match presentation, smiling.“All I can say, it’s nice. It’s the same as it was before. I don’t want to jinx anything. I just want to stay positive and hopefully everything comes out right,” he said during the post-match presentation when asked about the injury.Debutant Cooper Connolly scored his maiden half-century as Punjab Kings chased down a target of 163 in 19.1 overs to register a three-wicket win at the PCA’s New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Tuesday.

Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman has found himself at the centre of a fresh ball-tampering controversy in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), with the latest incident reviving questions over a similar episode during the 2024 T20 World Cup.Zaman, along with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sikandar Raza, has denied any wrongdoing following Lahore Qalandars’ four-wicket defeat to Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium. However, the 35-year-old has been charged with a Level 3 offence under the PSL Code of Conduct for allegedly altering the condition of the ball.

Fakhar Zaman’s latest PSL ball-tampering row

The controversy unfolded just before the final over of Karachi Kings’ chase, when they required 14 runs to win. Zaman was seen in discussion with Afridi and bowler Haris Rauf before the umpires intervened.On-field umpire Faisal Afridi called for the ball after it had passed between Rauf and Zaman. Following inspection, officials ruled that its condition had been altered, awarding Karachi five penalty runs and replacing the ball. The equation was reduced to nine off the final over, which Karachi chased down comfortably.Zaman has denied the charge before match referee Roshan Mahanama, with a verdict expected soon. Afridi also distanced himself from the incident, stating he was unaware of any change to the ball, while Raza echoed similar sentiments.The Pakistan Cricket Board has taken a serious view of the matter, with officials indicating that strict action could follow if the charges are proven.

Fakhar Zaman with the ball (Video grab)

Echoes of doubt from PAK vs USA T20 World Cup clash

The latest controversy has drawn attention back to an incident during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match between Pakistan and the USA in Dallas.During that game, Zaman was seen collecting the ball and placing it under his jersey for a prolonged period, with both hands appearing to manipulate it — raising suspicions among USA players. The act differed from conventional ball shining, which typically involves rubbing the ball with one hand.Soon after, the ball began to reverse swing noticeably, making batting more difficult despite the USA being in a strong position. The match eventually went to a Super Over, which the USA won.As per a Cricbuzz report, USA players reportedly raised concerns with officials, including fourth umpire Rod Tucker and match referee Jeff Crowe, though no formal charges were filed at the time.Questions without conclusionsWhile neither incident has resulted in a proven offence so far, the similarities — both in timing and nature — have intensified scrutiny around Zaman. Both situations occurred when his side was under pressure.With the PSL hearing pending, the outcome could determine whether this remains an isolated controversy or evolves into a larger issue. For now, Zaman maintains his innocence, but the spotlight on his actions has rarely been sharper.