Published: April 1, 2026 at 11:46 pm
After four games in the IPL 2026 season, the home side, in this case, Lucknow Super Giants crashed to a humiliating six-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday night.
Thus, Delhi became the first visiting side to post a win in the season thus far. That was the only tweak in the script. The other factors remained the same. The team winning the toss, asks the opposition to bat and then runs down the target with plenty to spare. It’s turning out to be quite a predictable tournament.
Tristan Stubbs and Impact Player Sameer Rizvi’s 119-run partnership sealed the deal for the Capitals, who faced some early teething problems with the bat. They were reduced to 26 for four before Stubbs (39 not out) and Rizvi (70 not out) swung the game their way.
Sameer Rizvi made an instant Impact as he struck an unbeaten 70 to guide Delhi Capitals home on Wednesday night. Pics: BCCI
“I wasn’t fully padded up, had to go straight in. Was simple what we needed, bat time and build a partnership. Rizvi was brilliant. You’re always looking to score but the situation tells you what to do. It was doing a bit, swung for long and seamed. We kept saying keep batting normally and look to score. Rizvi takes on spin naturally, makes my job easier. We knew it was one big over and it’s run a ball,” said Stubbs.
On what they spoke before the Shahbaz over, he said: “Let’s see if it’s spinning and the first three balls went for 12, wasn’t the plan to take him on but it worked out. I like No 6, you bat at different situations and try to take the team over the line.”
Capitals struggle early on
After bowling out Lucknow for 142, it was supposed to be easy picking for Delhi Capitals but the home side bowlers had different ideas. The ball offered seam, extra bounce or swing for a long time and Lucknow pacers exploited it nicely. Prince Yadav, in particular, who got Axar Patel with a brilliant inswinger and Nissanka who looked to slog.
Mohammad Shami showed that he still has enough fire in his belly as he had KL Rahul caught by Mohsin Khan for a duck. No.3 bat Nitish Rana then struck two fours and a six as he raced to 15 off 17 balls but Mohsin Khan ended his stay when he had the Capitals’ batter caught by Abdul Samad.
Mohammad Shami struck the first blow when he sent back KL Rahul to put Capitals on the backfoot
Then Prince struck two quick blows. He had Pathum Nissanka (1) caught behind by Rishabh Pant and bowled Capitals’ captain Patel (0). Capitals were reduced to 26 for four and were staring down the barrel. But Rizvi and Stubbs strung the match-winning partnership. The partnership was also Capital’s highest for the fifth wicket in IPL and erased the earlier record of 111 set by KL Rahul and Stubbs.
Lucknow had to bring the fifth bowler at some point, and once they brought in Shahbaz, who they subbed in instead of Digvesh Rathi due to their batting collapse, and that was when Rizvi broke free and there was no turning back thereafter.
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“Game finished early, got close in the middle. The new ball was doing a bit, our chat was about a big partnership and we finished well. Happy with bowling. We knew it swung and seamed at the start. We told that to all new bowlers and they did well. There’s a big boundary and I felt since the pitch was assisting pacers, I’d bowl them over me. Plan was to bring in Rizvi early. Ashutosh Sharma was also an option if the innings started well. Last year, Ashu proved himself first game and this time Rizvi. He’s been excellent at practice, glad he pulled it off tonight,” said a jubilant Capitals’ skipper Axar Patel.
No fizz in Lucknow’s batting
In the end it turned out to be a fizzle for Lucknow, and it all started with a lucky run out of the new opener in Pant. Marsh had struck a Mukesh Kumar delivery straight past the bowler on his follow-through, who manages to get his hands on the ball, and which goes on to hit the stumps, finding Pant out of the crease.
Lungi Ngidi took three for 27 as Lucknow Super Giants were bowled out for a below par 142
“Best way to recover from my dismissal is to ignore it as you can’t control it. The way we batted, we couldn’t get a partnership for long. The plan was for Pooran to take on the middle overs from No. 5. We had to get someone who could add a few runs as the impact player because we didn’t have enough, on a good pitch. We had a role defined for Badoni, when we lose early wickets, that’s the time he can make a mark. We wanted to explore left-right at the top as to stop them from bowling from the left-arm spinner. There was enough help with the new ball. But you can’t put pressure on the opposition with 140. 20 extras hurt, at the same time, you try too much on a wicket like this and are trying to restrict them under 140. 50-50 call, but definitely we’ll see me in the top order,” a disappointed Pant said.
Capitals had managed to keep Marsh (35) quiet for the most part of his innings. Four of the top-five fell for single-digit scores as the Capitals’ bowlers, Axar, Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan and Kuldeep Yadav, all joined the party. But for Abdul Samad’s 36, Lucknow would have been in deeper distress.
Pant: We felt we needed to add more to our bowling; Arun can contribute a lot in this area
“Trying to use the bigger side, we know the type of ball-striker he (Pooran) is. No pace to work with, trying to do him in the air. Used the dip too. Last one was the best wicket, executing the wide slower yorker is hardest for me. At the World Cup, I mentioned Bravo told me I need a deceptive slower ball. It took years of practice. I’m close to 100% but not there, trying to emulate Bravo,” said Ngidi on his three for 27 spell.
Brief scores: Lucknow Super Giants 141 in 18.4 overs (Mitchell Marsh 35, Abdul Samad 36; Lungi Ngidi 3/27, T Natarajan 3/29, Kuldeep Yadav 2/31) lost to Delhi Capitals 145 for four in 17.1 overs (Sameer Rizvi 70 not out, Tristan Stubbs 39 not out; Prince Yadav 2/20).
