The Delhi Capitals overcame a nightmare start to register a clinical six-wicket victory over the Lucknow Super Giants in Match 5 of the TATA IPL 2026. Chasing a modest 142 on a tricky Ekana Stadium surface, the Capitals found themselves reeling in the Powerplay before an unbroken century partnership between Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs guided them home with 17 deliveries to spare. The match also served a dramatic narrative twist, pitting Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul against their former franchises in a highly anticipated encounter.

Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel won the toss and elected to bowl first, backing his bowlers to exploit the red-soil surface in Lucknow. His decision paid immediate dividends as the Capitals consistently chipped away at the Super Giants' batting lineup, eventually bowling them out for 141 in 18.4 overs.

The Lucknow innings struggled to build momentum right from the onset. In a much-talked-about move, LSG captain Rishabh Pant opened the batting but suffered horrible luck, getting run out at the non-striker's end for 7 (9) on a straight drive. Mitchell Marsh attempted to counter-attack, muscling his way to a team-high 35 off 28 deliveries, including three towering sixes. However, Kuldeep Yadav (2 for 31) halted the charge by dismissing the dangerous Australian.

Through the defence 😯

🎥 Lungi Ngidi foxes Nicholas Pooran with his brilliance 🔥

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The Capitals' pace battery executed their plans flawlessly in the middle and death overs. Lungi Ngidi produced a pace-off masterclass to finish with outstanding figures of 3 for 27 in 3.4 overs, famously bamboozling Nicholas Pooran with a gorgeous slower delivery. T Natarajan mirrored the impact at the other end, claiming 3 for 29 and accounting for the crucial wicket of Abdul Samad. Samad had offered the most significant middle-order resistance for the hosts, striking a vital 36 off 25 balls before falling in the death overs.

Defending 141, the Super Giants required early breakthroughs, and Mohd. Shami delivered an electrifying start on his franchise debut. Firing up the Lucknow crowd, Shami dismissed Delhi's newly acquired opener KL Rahul for a golden duck on the very first ball of the innings.

In the air.....and TAKEN 😍

A superb start for @LucknowIPL 👌

Mohd. Shami gets KL Rahul 1️⃣st ball 👏

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KEY STAT: Mohd. Shami recorded his 5th first-ball wicket in the IPL, claiming the all-time record for the most first-ball strikes in the tournament's history.

The Super Giants' pace attack capitalised on this monumental breakthrough, tearing through the Capitals' top order. Mohsin Khan (1 for 19) removed Nitish Rana (15 off 17), while young speedster Prince Yadav (2 for 20) delivered a phenomenal three-over spell to dismiss Pathum Nissanka and heavily restrict the scoring. When Axar Patel fell shortly after, the Capitals were staring down the barrel at 26 for 4 inside the Powerplay, giving LSG the record for their most wickets taken inside the first six overs in IPL history.

Just as the Super Giants tightened their grip on the contest, Impact Player Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs launched a methodical, match-winning counter-attack. The duo absorbed the immense early pressure, relying on hard running between the wickets before unleashing calculated boundaries against the spinners once the field spread out.

Impact Maximum 👊

Sameer Rizvi taking @delhicapitals closer to the target 💙❤️

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Stubbs played the perfect anchor role, accumulating a composed, unbeaten 39 off 32 deliveries. Meanwhile, Rizvi took charge of the required run rate, severely punishing the LSG spin attack. He showcased brutal power and excellent temperament, racing to his half-century and eventually finishing the match in style by launching Abdul Samad for a massive six. Rizvi won the Player of the Match for his spectacular knock of 70 not out from 47 balls, decorated with five boundaries and four maximums.

A SIX TO SEAL IT! 🙌

Sameer Rizvi does it in style 🥳@DelhiCapitals kick off their #TATAIPL 2026 campaign with a 6️⃣-wicket victory 👏👏

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/lfP7dRNKfg#KhelBindaas | #LSGvDC pic.twitter.com/vVPkz5kqzd

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 1, 2026

Their unbroken 119-run partnership emphatically shut the door on any Lucknow comeback, sealing the chase at 145 for 4 in 17.1 overs and handing the Capitals a vital away victory.

With this composed victory, the Delhi Capitals bounce back strongly to establish early momentum in their TATA IPL 2026 campaign. Meanwhile, the Lucknow Super Giants will look to address their batting frailties and build upon their fierce Powerplay bowling ahead of their next fixture.
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