Delhi Capitals Opt to Bowl First Against Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026 Opener
Delhi Capitals Choose to Bowl First in IPL 2026 Season Opener
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 1: In the inaugural match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, the Delhi Capitals (DC) won the toss and decided to bowl first against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
Following the toss, DC captain Axar Patel explained his decision to bowl first, citing the need to assess the new pitch for any pace support. He mentioned that teams chasing often have a better chance of winning. Patel also highlighted the overseas players included in the DC squad for this match: David Miller, Pathum Nissanka, and Tristan Stubbs as batters, along with bowler Lungi Ngidi.
“We want to see if the fresh wicket offers any help to the pacers. Statistics indicate that chasing teams tend to win, but since this is a new tournament, we believe starting by bowling first is the right approach. Last year, we had a strong start but faltered midway. We aim to begin well again. Our overseas selections include three batters—Miller, Nissanka, Stubbs—and bowler Ngidi,” Patel stated during the toss.
Conversely, LSG captain Rishabh Pant remarked that the toss would not significantly influence the game. He expressed confidence that the injury issues from the previous season have been resolved, with players now fit and eager to perform. Pant confirmed the overseas players in his lineup: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, and Anrich Nortje.
“The conditions on this wicket won’t change much, so the toss is not a major factor. We have a fresh energy, a new logo, and a positive mindset. We’re excited and ready to compete. Last season’s injuries are behind us, and our bowlers are fit and prepared to make an impact. Our overseas selections are Markram, Marsh, Pooran, and Nortje,” Pant said.
LSG aims to start their campaign with a victory, hoping to improve on their seventh-place finish from last season. Meanwhile, DC is also looking to perform better than last year, where they missed out on playoff qualification despite winning five of their first seven matches.
**Playing XI for LSG vs DC:**
**Lucknow Super Giants:** Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohsin Khan, Mohammed Shami, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav.
**Impact substitutes:** Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akshat Raghuvanshi.
**Delhi Capitals:** KL Rahul (w), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Vipraj Nigam, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar.
**Impact substitutes:** Ashutosh Sharma, Auqib Nabi, Sameer Rizvi, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair.