Sameer Rizvi special powers DC to winning start

Sameer Rizvi special powers DC to winning start

For the third evening running, a score of 200 was not reached. Lucknow Super Giants posted a below-par total with the bat, but their pacers tested Delhi Capitals with considerable movement. A target of 142 was always going to be tough to defend, as DC rode on Sameer Rizvi's unbeaten 70 to secure a six-wicket win, opening their account in IPL 2026 on Wednesday (April 1).

Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 141 all out in 18.4 overs (Abdul Samad 36 (25), Lungi Ngidi 3-27, T Natarajan 3-29, Kuldeep Yadav 2-31) lost to Delhi Capitals 145/4 in 17.1 overs (Sameer Rizvi 70* (47), Tristan Stubbs 39* (32), Prince Yadav 2-20, Mohsin Khan 1-19) by 6 wickets.

DC's bowlers were on point. Mukesh Kumar got the new ball to swing and operated with accuracy. The Capitals executed their plans well, with Axar Patel bowling to the Mitchell Marsh-Aiden Markram duo and deploying Kuldeep Yadav and Lungi Ngidi against Nicholas Pooran. Ngidi was superb with his dipping off-cutter, which castled Pooran and left LSG in disarray, alongside other tame dismissals on a track without major demons.

But LSG were in with a chance?

More than a chance, given how the ball swung throughout the Powerplay. All four DC wickets in that phase fell to good-length deliveries, even as pacers struggled with line control at times. KL Rahul edged a wide Mohammed Shami delivery to deep third man. Mohsin Khan, returning after a 15-month gap, took Nitish Rana's wicket and was economical initially. Prince Yadav then struck twice to leave Capitals reeling at 26/4.

How did the Capitals recover?

Local boy Sameer Rizvi emerged the hero. Batting on 5 off 13, he ramped a pacey Anrich Nortje short ball for six. The momentum truly shifted in the 10th over as he took on Shahbaz Ahamad for three boundaries in a 16-run over. Tristan Stubbs looked comfortable, but Rizvi, coming in as the Impact Substitute, weathered a tricky phase. Once set, he was unstoppable, with an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 119 seeing Capitals home.

What did Rishabh Pant do?

He made a significant decision by opening the innings alongside Marsh, despite Marsh's previous success with Markram in 2025. Pant got off the mark with a regal on-drive but was out shortly after. Marsh hit one back at Mukesh, who couldn't hold a tough chance, but the ball ricocheted to dislodge the bails with Pant backing up too far. On the field, Pant's timing of the Shahbaz over backfired.

Left-arm seamers made their presence felt after injury struggles. Mohsin returned figures of 1/19 off four overs, while T Natarajan bowled with control in the middle phase, dismissing Ayush Badoni and taking two wickets at the death.

What's next for the two teams?

DC head home for the first afternoon fixture of the tournament, hosting Mumbai Indians on Saturday (April 4). LSG will feature in the second afternoon fixture of IPL 2026, facing Sunrisers Hyderabad on the road on Sunday (April 5).