Delhi Capitals started off IPL 2026 with a fine win over Delhi Capitals. It was a fine effort from the visiting side who put up a dominant performance. Lucknow Super Giants were batting first and bowled out for 141 in the first innings. It was a poor show from the home side as the batters could not put up a fight. It all started with LSG captain Rishabh Pant getting run out and then Markram was dismissed by Axar Patel. LSG kept losing wickets and could not string in a partnership. Natarajan was the pick of the bowlers and did extremely well picking up three wickets. Delhi Capitals lost early wickets in the chase but Sameer Rizvi played a fine knock to ensure they got over the line. Sameer smashed a half century which helped his side get over the line quite comfortably in the end. It was a spectacular performance from the Delhi Capitals side as they picked up two points. On the other hand, Lucknow Super Giants have a lot to answer and they will make improvements to the side before their next fixture.
Rishabh Pant Reaction | LSG Captain
Rishabh Pant | LSG captain: I think the best way to recover from it is to ignore (on his unlucky run-out). I think that’s the best way looking forward because you know something like that, you can’t control, but thinking about it definitely puts you on the back-foot. See, it’s always the case, but you know the way we batted, we couldn’t get a partnership going for long. We had to get a batsman in who can bowl a little bit. And that was the option we had to take as an impact player because we were short of runs on a good surface. (Idea behind sending Badoni ahead of Pooran) I think the idea was very simple. Like he’s taking the charge in the middle overs. He’s not batting in the top order anymore because I’m batting up the order. And that’s why it happened because, you know, we wanted to explore that lefty-righty option at the top so they couldn’t bowl a left-arm spinner. Unfortunately, I got out at the wrong time. Otherwise, Axar Patel still had to bowl one over in the power play and that gives us the edge over them. But at the same time, you know, it’s part and parcel of the game and that’s the role we are defining for Badoni, when the situation is tough like that, when we lose early wickets, that’s the time he needs to make a mark. No, no, definitely there was enough, definitely with the new ball (on the bowlers). But at the same time, you know, when you score 140, you are not really going to put opposition under pressure, especially on a good wicket like this. But you know, one positive that, you know, boys fought hard, the way we bowled, especially the way we started, definitely some good signs going ahead in the season. See, definitely extras will hurt (on conceding 20 extras), but at the same time, you know, when a wicket like this happens, you’re trying too much, especially with a score like 140 where you have to get them out because if they play even normal cricket, they can get away. But a few extra crucial wickets in the starting actually put them in the back foot for sure. (Will Pant open for the rest of the season ) I think it’s a 50-50 call, but we’ll see. But you will definitely see me in the top order.
Tristan Stubbs Reaction
Tristan Stubbs: It was pretty straight in, and yeah, it was pretty simple what we needed to do, just bat a bit of time and build a partnership. And the way Rizvi batted was magnificent. You’re always looking to score, but it’s like it’s telling you what to do. You’ve just got to bat a bit of time. It was doing a bit. It swung for long, and there was always a bit of nip. So it was really just good cricket, and just take the game out of it. (Talks about the partnership with Sameer) Yeah, we kept saying, keep batting normally, keep looking to score. I think the way Sameer plays naturally just against the spin, takes it on, so it made my job a bit easier. Just knock it around, get him on strike. And we always knew it was one over, and then it was down to run a ball, and then take the game away, the shots you need, and yeah, fortunately we got it there. We said at the start of the over, let’s see if it’s spinning. And I think the first three balls went for like 12 or something. So it wasn’t the plan to take him on, but yeah, he was pretty good today. (About his batting position) I do enjoy it. Like today, that sort of tells you what to do. And you’re batting so many different situations. And I really like trying to get the team over the line at the end of the day.
Axar Patel | Delhi Capitals captain
It finished early but middle it had become close. We just needed one partnership and that's what we spoke about in the break. Very happy with the bowling effort. When we started with the ball, we knew there was a bit of help for the bowlers, that was communicated to whoever was coming onto bowl. You see how the match is going, there was a bigger and smaller boundary, and I was seeing who I can bowl, in the end I might have miscalculated. The plan was to play Rizvi, but also have the option to Ashutosh Sharma. Last year Ashu did it in the first game and this time Rizvi. He works hard on his game and keeps asking how he can improve himself.
Sameer Rizvi | Player of the Match
Sameer Rizvi | Player of the Match: In the practice sessions the coaches backed me, told me I would bat at number 4 and gave me the confidence. We had good sessions and that's what I try to replicate. If you play at a particular venue then you know how to play, my state matches are played here, so I knew how to go about. The plan was to be positive, but we lost two wickets in one over, so we decided to bat deep and that was the discussions with Stubbs as well. I tried to put the loose delivery away and that was my plan throughout the innings.
