Sameer Rizvi anchored the chase with a well-constructed 70 off 47 balls, studded with five boundaries and four sixes, and walked away with the player of the match award.
IMAGE: Delhi Capitals were staring at a heavy defeat when Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs joined forces to secure a resolute win over the Lucknow Super Giants. Photograph: Delhi Capitals/X
Key Points
- Delhi Capitals slipped to 26/4 in 4.4 overs before a crucial recovery.
- Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs stitched an unbeaten 119-run stand.
- Their partnership guided Delhi to a composed win over Lucknow Super Giants.
In a match where runs were hard to come by and wickets fell in clusters, Delhi Capitals held their nerve to secure a gritty win over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2026 season-opener, thanks to an exceptional partnership between Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs.
Chasing a modest target on a sluggish surface, Delhi found themselves in deep trouble early on. Reduced to 26 for 4 in just 4.4 overs, the Capitals were staring at a heavy defeat as Lucknow's pacers exploited the conditions with discipline and control.
It was at this critical juncture that Impact Sub Sameer Rizvi joined Tristan Stubbs in the middle. What followed was an unbeaten partnership defined by patience, awareness, and timely aggression.
A partnership built on restraint
The duo first focused on stabilising the innings, rotating the strike and cutting down risks against a probing bowling attack led by veteran Mohammed Shami.
With the ball gripping and stroke-making difficult, both Rizvi and Stubbs showed exemplary restraint, ensuring there were no further setbacks.
Once settled, they began to open up. Loose deliveries were punished, and gaps were found with increasing regularity. Their running between the wickets kept the scoreboard moving, gradually shifting the pressure back onto Lucknow.
Rizvi, playing with confidence and composure, anchored the chase with a well-constructed 70 off 47 balls, studded with five boundaries and four sixes, and walked away with the player of the match award.
His composure and temperament under pressure was remarkable. In the first 13 balls he faced, Rizvi scored only five runs at a strike rate of 38.4. In the next 34 balls, he struck at 191 and accumulated 65 runs.
IMAGE: Sameer Rizvi brought up his second IPL fifty in 37 balls. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters
Stubbs (39 from 32; 3x4, 1x6) complemented him perfectly, mixing caution with calculated attacking strokes.
Together, they stitched an unbeaten 119-run stand for the sixth wicket, turning the game decisively in Delhi's favour. What had seemed an unlikely chase was completed without much of a fuss as the target was overhauled with 17 balls to spare.
LSG, who had dominated the early exchanges, were left to rue missed opportunities as the partnership slipped beyond their control.
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Subs making contrasting impact
In fact, it was the Impact Subs who made a telling impact on the match.
LSG used all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed as an Impact Sub after they were reduced to 105/6 in 13.1 overs after being put in. Although Shahbaz scored 15 off 16 balls, the tactical gamble undermined the team balance as LSG were forced to bench leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi, a reliable fifth bowling option and their top wicket-taker last season.
The two overs bowled by Aiden Markram and Shahbaz tilted the game in favour of the Capitals as the duo conceded 29 runs, effectively sealing the contest.
On the other hand, Rizvi, who replaced pacer T Natarajan, not only brought DC back from the brink with an incredible innings but also took them over the line.
Next assignment
Delhi Capitals will next take host Mumbai Indians on Saturday (April 4) while LSG will meet Sunrisers Hyderabad in an away game on Sunday (April 5).