The BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow hosts Match 5 of IPL 2026 between Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals on April 1. Here is the complete pitch report, average scores and fantasy tips for this venue.
Ekana Stadium — Pitch Overview
The Ekana Cricket Stadium is LSG's home ground and one of the most spin-friendly venues in IPL. The surface has a red soil base that grips and turns for spinners, particularly in the middle overs. However, early on the pitch plays well for batting with true bounce. The ground has a relatively small boundary on one side, making it a high-scoring venue when batters get set.
Key Pitch Stats at Ekana
- Average first innings score: 170-185
- Teams batting second win: approximately 60-65%
- Dew factor: Significant in evening matches — batting second advantage is pronounced
- Best bowling type: Spin in middle overs (overs 7-15), pace with new ball
- Boundary size: 65-72 metres — shorter than most IPL venues
Spin at Ekana
Ekana is one of the best venues for spinners in the entire IPL. The pitch surface grips the ball nicely from over 6 onwards, and by the time the match reaches overs 10-15, quality spinners like Kuldeep Yadav become almost unplayable on a good length. LSG have historically exploited this with their spin-heavy approach. Kuldeep Yadav knows this pitch from his LSG days and will use that knowledge devastatingly for Delhi Capitals.
Dew Factor at Ekana
Evening matches at Ekana are heavily affected by dew from over 14-15 of the second innings onwards. This makes chasing significantly easier — spinners lose their grip and effectiveness, while batters can play more freely without worrying about variable bounce. The toss at Ekana is therefore extremely important. Expect the toss winner to bowl first in this April evening match.
Fantasy Tips for Ekana
- Load up on spinners — Kuldeep Yadav is a must-pick at this venue
- Batting second team players become more valuable after toss
- Pant and KL Rahul as WK options — both benefit from high-scoring surface
- Avoid picking more than 2 pace bowlers — spinners dominate here
- Pooran and Marsh are premium batting picks regardless of toss
See our LSG vs DC Dream11 team prediction for complete fantasy analysis.
