Leicestershire vs Lancashire Preview – T20 Blast 2026 | Statz

26th June 2026

Leicestershire host Lancashire at Grace Road on Friday evening in the T20 Blast 2026, with the Foxes sitting 11th on 12 points (P6 W3 L3) and Lancashire 16th on 8 points (P6 W2 L4). First ball is at 23:00 IST (18:30 BST).

Leicestershire come into this one on a three-match winning run, including a thrilling two-wicket win over Lancashire themselves less than a month ago. Lancashire have managed just two wins from six and their inconsistency has been a recurring issue, though the presence of Liam Livingstone always gives them a chance.

The Venue

Grace Road has hosted 31 T20s since 2021 and averages a first-innings score of 168.8, with an average match total of 324.9. Teams batting first have won just 43% of the time, suggesting a marginal chasing advantage. Spin bowlers have been particularly effective here with an economy of 7.70 compared to 9.07 for pace, though seamers still take the majority of wickets at 60.7% versus 34.6% for spin. The pitch is tagged as a balanced pitch. The most recent T20 here saw Leicestershire defend 147/8 against Yorkshire on 7 June 2026.

Form and Table

Leicestershire (11th – P6 W3 L3, 12 pts)

Last 5: W W W L L

Lancashire (16th – P6 W2 L4, 8 pts)

Last 5: W L L L W

Top 4 in the T20 Blast table:

Pos Team P W L Pts
1 Northamptonshire 6 6 0 24
2 Gloucestershire 6 5 1 20
3 Hampshire 6 5 1 20
4 Yorkshire 6 4 2 16

Both teams have 8 group matches remaining. Leicestershire are in the congested mid-table pack, while Lancashire need to start stringing wins together quickly.

Head-to-Head

These two have met 5 times since 2022 (Statz data), with Lancashire winning 3 and Leicestershire 2. Leicestershire have won both of the most recent meetings, including a tight two-wicket victory at Old Trafford on 29 May 2026 (LEI 146/8 chasing LAN 145/9). At Grace Road, Lancashire have won both previous encounters – by 25 runs in 2024 and by 7 wickets in 2022.

Statz Projections

Statz projections favour Lancashire across both scenarios:

If Leicestershire bat first: Win probability – Leicestershire 40.4%, Lancashire 57.6%. Projected first innings total of 174.4 (P10: 139, P90: 206) and a projected match total of 336.3 (P10: 274, P90: 389).

If Lancashire bat first: Win probability – Leicestershire 44.5%, Lancashire 53.5%. Projected first innings total of 177.4 (P10: 146, P90: 207) and a projected match total of 339.2 (P10: 282, P90: 390).

The projected first-innings totals of 174-177 sit above the venue average of 168.8, suggesting the model expects a higher-scoring contest than Grace Road typically delivers.

Competition Season Leaders

Orange Cap – Top 5 Run Scorers

  1. Beau Webster – 288 runs (6 inn)
  2. George Munsey – 251 runs (6 inn)
  3. Jonny Bairstow – 250 runs (6 inn)
  4. Chris Lynn – 245 runs (6 inn)
  5. Martin Andersson – 237 runs (6 inn)

Purple Cap – Top 5 Wicket Takers

  1. Duan Jansen – 16 wkts (6 inn)
  2. James Sales – 16 wkts (6 inn)
  3. Adam Finch – 12 wkts (6 inn)
  4. Scott Currie – 12 wkts (6 inn)
  5. Mohammad Ali – 12 wkts (6 inn)

Leicestershire Season Leaders
Runs: Nick Kelly – 193 runs (avg 32.17, HS 61) | Ashton Turner – 180 runs (avg 30.00, HS 57) | Ben Cox – 135 runs (avg 22.50, HS 51)
Wickets: Liam Trevaskis – 8 wkts (best 2/x in 6 matches) | Ben Green – 8 wkts (best 2/x in 6 matches) | Ian Holland – 7 wkts (best 2/x in 4 matches)

Lancashire Season Leaders
Runs: Liam Livingstone – 225 runs (avg 56.25, HS 85) | Ben McDermott – 100 runs (avg 16.67, HS 63) | Keaton Jennings – 91 runs (avg 15.17, HS 51)
Wickets: Tom Hartley – 8 wkts (best 4/x in 6 matches) | Liam Livingstone – 6 wkts (best 3/x in 4 matches) | Saqib Mahmood – 5 wkts (best 3/x in 4 matches)

Predicted XIs

Lineups are based on the most recent match for each team. Always check the fixture page after the toss for confirmed changes.

Leicestershire (vs Yorkshire, 07 Jun 2026)
Rishi Patel, Rehan Ahmed, Nick Kelly, Jonathan Tattersall, Ashton Turner, Ben Cox (wk), Ben Green (c), Liam Trevaskis, Alex Green, Ian Holland, Josh Davey

Lancashire (vs Durham, 09 Jun 2026)
Keaton Jennings (c), Liam Livingstone, Michael Jones, Ben McDermott, Joe Moores (wk), Harry Singh, George Balderson, Tom Hartley, Luke Wood, Thomas Aspinwall, Marcus Harris

Dream11 Tips – Captain and Vice Captain

Based on projected Dream11 points from players in the most recent XI only:

Captain: George Balderson (LAN) – 100.1 projected pts
The Lancashire all-rounder tops the Dream11 projections in this fixture. Balderson has taken 1+ wicket in 75% of his innings this season and offers batting utility lower down the order. Projected for 1.53 wickets and 18.3 runs.

Vice Captain: Ben Green (LEI) – 81.7 projected pts
The Leicestershire captain has been a reliable performer with 8 wickets this season (1+ wicket in 83.3% of innings). His all-round contributions make him a strong vice-captain pick with projected 1.41 wickets and 11.6 runs.

Other picks to consider:

Key Players

Liam Livingstone (LAN)
Lancashire’s talisman leads their run charts with 225 at an average of 56.25, including a highest score of 85. He has scored 30+ runs in 75% of his matches this season. He also chips in with 6 wickets (1+ wicket in 100% of innings), giving him enormous all-round value. When Livingstone fires, Lancashire are a different side entirely.

George Balderson (LAN)
The highest-projected Dream11 scorer in this fixture. Balderson has taken 1+ wicket in 75% and 2+ wickets in 50% of his innings this season. His seam bowling at a venue where pace dominates (60.7% of wickets) could be the key Lancashire weapon.

Nick Kelly (LEI)
Leicestershire’s leading run-scorer with 193 at 32.17 and a 20+ run hit rate of 83.3% this season. Kelly has been remarkably consistent at the top of the order and will be crucial if the Foxes are to set or chase a competitive total.

Ian Holland (LEI)
A perfect record this season – Holland has taken 1+ wicket in 100% of his matches and 2+ wickets in 75% of them. In just 4 matches he has 7 wickets, making him one of the most reliable bowling picks in this fixture. His consistency at Grace Road, where spin economy is just 7.70, adds to his appeal.

Conditions

Clear and warm in Leicester with temperatures of 31 degrees C, low humidity at 32% and light winds. No rain expected – ideal conditions for a full, uninterrupted contest.

Verdict and Betting Angles

Verdict: Lancashire to win

Despite sitting lower in the table, Lancashire are rightly favoured here. The Statz model gives them a 53.5-57.6% win probability across scenarios, driven largely by the individual quality of Livingstone and the all-round depth of Balderson and Hartley. Lancashire have also won both previous T20s at Grace Road. Leicestershire’s three-match winning run gives them confidence, but the talent gap in key positions is real. Bet365 have Lancashire at 1.46 and Leicestershire at 2.57.

Betting Angles via Statz Bet Builder: