Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel credited his team’s disciplined bowling effort for setting up a six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants, while LSG skipper Rishabh Pant admitted that conceding extra runs proved costly in the end.
Reflecting on the win, Axar highlighted how early movement with the new ball played a crucial role. “The game finished early, but it got close in the middle. The new ball was doing a bit, and our discussion was about building one big partnership while chasing. I’m happy with the bowling performance. We knew it would swing and seam early, and the bowlers executed the plans well,” he said.
Delhi’s bowlers made full use of the conditions, striking regularly to keep LSG under pressure. Mukesh Kumar set the tone with a tight spell upfront, while Axar himself removed Aiden Markram with a clever arm-ball after being hit for a six.
The pressure mounted as T. Natarajan dismissed Ayush Badoni, and Lungi Ngidi outfoxed Nicholas Pooran with a well-disguised slower delivery. Kuldeep Yadav further tightened the screws in the middle overs, removing Mitchell Marsh and denting LSG’s progress.
Axar also revealed the team’s approach during the chase, particularly after losing early wickets. “During the strategic time-out, the message was clear; we just needed one good partnership. Rizvi and Stubbs did that brilliantly. There are big boundaries here, and since the pitch was helping pacers, I preferred using them more. We had options like Ashutosh, but Rizvi has been excellent in practice and showed it tonight,” he added.
Impact Player Sameer Rizvi justified his selection with a match-winning knock under pressure. After a slow start against LSG’s seamers, Rizvi settled in and forged a crucial 119-run unbeaten partnership with Tristan Stubbs. He accelerated smartly against spin, reaching his fifty off 37 balls and shifting the momentum decisively in DC’s favour.
Also Read: LSG vs DC IPL 2026: Rizvi, Stubbs script stunning comeback as DC chase down 142 after early collapse
On the other hand, Pant pointed to small margins that made a big difference. “When you score around 140, you tend to try too much with the ball. If they play normal cricket, they win. A few extra wickets in the powerplay could have put them under pressure,” he said.
LSG’s seamers had started strongly, with Mohammed Shami removing KL Rahul for a duck on the first ball, while Prince Yadav picked up key wickets, including Pathum Nissanka and Axar Patel in the powerplay.
Pant acknowledged the assistance on offer but felt his side failed to capitalise with the bat. “There was help with the new ball, but we couldn’t build partnerships. When you don’t have enough runs, you’re forced to make certain calls,” he explained.
Reflecting on his own dismissal, Pant added, “The best way to recover is to move on. You can’t control everything, and thinking about it only puts you under pressure.”
Despite the defeat, the LSG captain remained optimistic about the team’s approach moving forward. “Opening is always a 50-50 call, but you’ll definitely see me in the top order,” he signed off.