In the 16th match of the 2025 Indian Premier League, Mumbai Indians (MI), led by Hardik Pandya, chose to field first after winning the toss against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium. Pandya cited the new pitch and potential dew as reasons for his decision, emphasizing the importance of adapting to conditions. Rohit Sharma was absent due to a knee injury, but Jasprit Bumrah's return was anticipated.

LSG captain Rishabh Pant expressed confidence in his batting lineup, despite recent struggles. He encouraged his team to play freely and react to the ball. Pant stated they were focused on capitalizing on good starts rather than setting specific targets. LSG made one change to their playing XI, with Akash Deep replacing M Siddharth.