Why did Digvesh Rathi miss PBKS vs LSG clash of IPL 2026?
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Digvesh Rathi was part of LSG’s previous game against RCB.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are clashing in the 29th match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Sunday, April 19. LSG won the toss and opted to bowl first in the encounter, which is taking place at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.
While PBKS went in with the same playing XI, LSG made one change, which surprised many. Spinner Digvesh Rathi was snubbed for an all-important encounter, which made many fans question the decision.
Rathi played in the previous game against RCB, where he went wicketless. He has featured in four games so far in IPL 2026, clinching three wickets.
Why is Digvesh Rathi not playing PBKS vs LSG clash of IPL 2026?
Pant informed that Rathi has been dropped for the encounter and replaced by Manimaran Siddharth in the playing XI.
“We are going to bowl first. Coming here, we want them to set a total for us. They have been one of the best in the tournament but at the same time it gives us freedom to play as well. Playing for 220 runs is better than playing for 200. Rathi is out, Siddharth comes in,” Pant said.
Rathi was quite expensive in the previous game against RCB, which LSG lost by five wickets. He conceded 51 runs in his four-over spell and could not get any wickets. This might be the reason why Lucknow have went ahead with spinner M Siddharth against PBKS.
Meanwhile, the Rishabh Pant & Co. are desperate for a victory after losing two games in a row. They suffered huge defeats against RCB and Gujarat Titans (GT) in their previous two games. They currently take the eighth spot in the points table with four points.
Why did Digvesh Rathi miss PBKS vs LSG clash?
Rathi has been dropped by LSG for the match. Manimaran Siddharth has been picked as a replacement.
Who won the toss in PBKS vs LSG game?
LSG won the toss and chose to field first.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.