India will have an opportunity to wrap up the three-match ODI series when they take on Afghanistan in the second ODI at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on June 17. Shubman Gill’s men commanded a comfortable seven-wicket win in Dharamsala, where the captain’s unbeaten 84 and impressive performances from debutants Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey helped India take a 1-0 lead.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, will take confidence from Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s stunning 102 off just 51 deliveries in the opener. With Rashid Khan expected to play a major role on a traditionally slow Lucknow surface, all eyes will be on how the pitch behaves in the series-deciding contest.
Will the Ekana pitch favour spin again?
The Ekana Stadium has a reputation for producing slow surfaces that assist spinners, largely due to its black-soil pitches. Unlike many modern Indian venues where scores often cross 300, Lucknow has generally been a tougher venue for batters to dominate.
Historically, the ground has witnessed low-scoring encounters, with the average first-innings ODI score hovering around 226. Even though recent pitches have offered slightly better batting conditions, stroke-making usually becomes difficult once the ball gets older.
That said, the perception that Ekana is purely a spin-friendly venue does not entirely match the numbers.
Pace vs Spin at Ekana in the 2023 ODI World Cup
| Bowling Type | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | 4-Ws |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pace | 5 | 40 | 28.32 | 5.35 | 31.7 | 3 |
| Spin | 5 | 31 | 31.54 | 4.46 | 42.3 | 1 |
While spinners were more economical, fast bowlers actually claimed more wickets and enjoyed a significantly better average during the 2023 ODI World Cup. This is something that we saw at the recent IPL 2026 as well. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacers, when playing at home, got to move the new ball a lot and were a handful for batters inside the powerplay. The extra bounce generated by taller pacers and the abrasive nature of the surface often brought cutters and slower balls into play later as well.
This could once again bring India’s pace attack into the game, especially after Gurnoor Brar and Arshdeep Singh impressed in the series opener.
Toss could play a crucial role
The venue has hosted only nine ODIs so far, but trends suggest chasing teams have enjoyed greater success. Three of the last five ODIs played here were won by the side batting second.
The highest ODI total at the venue remains South Africa’s 311/7 against Australia during the 2023 World Cup, while England’s 129 all out against India is still the lowest score recorded at the ground. Mohammed Shami wrecked havoc in that famous game. Given the history of successful chases and the fact that temperatures are expected to touch 40°C during the afternoon, captains should prefer to bowl first and assess conditions before batting under slightly cooler evening skies.
No dew, no rain expected in Lucknow Unlike many evening matches in northern India, dew is unlikely to become a factor. June conditions in Lucknow are generally dry, and forecasts suggest clear skies throughout the day. Temperatures could reach 40-41°C during the first innings, with humidity making conditions feel even harsher for players.
By the evening, temperatures are expected to drop to around 33°C. The absence of rain means a full 50-over contest is expected after the weather interruptions seen in Dharamsala. The pitch is unlikely to be a complete turner, but it should offer enough assistance for quality spinners during the middle overs.
It remains to be seen if India will include Kuldeep Yadav this time around after the Dharamsala ODI, where tweakers had no help. Considering the slowness of the wicket, India might just play Kuldeep over Prasidh, with Gurnoor and Arshdeep Singh still being frontline pacers.
