Sameer Rizvi gem helps Delhi Capitals open their account

For the third evening on the bounce, a score of 200 eluded the batting team. Lucknow Super Giants underperformed with the bat but their pacers tested Delhi Capitals with appreciable movement. A target of 142 was always going to be onerous to defend for the hosts, as Axar Patel and his men were taken over the line by an unbeaten 70 from young Sameer Rizvi.

Rizvi, the franchise’s customary Impact Player, was preferred over Ashutosh Sharma and revealed he had been told he “will bat at number four this season”. Axar Patel, though, left the door ajar. “The plan was to play Rizvi, but also keep Ashutosh as an option. Maybe if we hadn’t lost early wickets, things could’ve been different. But yes, last year Ashu won us the first game, this time Rizvi. He works hard and is always asking how to improve.”

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

Delhi Capitals head home for the first afternoon fixture of the tournament as they host Mumbai Indians on Saturday, April 4. Lucknow Super Giants will feature in the second afternoon fixture of IPL 2026 as they face Sunrisers Hyderabad on the road on Sunday, April 5.