Lucknow Super Giants Ready for IPL 2026 Opener Against Delhi Capitals
Exciting Prospects for LSG Ahead of IPL 2026
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 31: As the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) gear up for their IPL 2026 opener against the Delhi Capitals (DC), head coach Justin Langer has confirmed that pacers Mayank Yadav and Naman Tiwari are fit and ready to contribute, describing them as "exciting prospects."
The match will take place at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium on Wednesday, marking the beginning of LSG's IPL journey. The team boasts a strong lineup of Indian fast bowlers, including the renowned Mohammed Shami, alongside talents like Mayank, Naman, Akash Singh, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav, and Arjun Tendulkar.
Commenting on the duo, Langer stated, "Both are fit and present thrilling potential for the future."
Mayank has emerged as one of LSG's standout pacers, gaining recognition for his impressive speed and precision during IPL 2024. His ability to maintain control while consistently bowling at speeds exceeding 150 km/h has been noteworthy. However, injuries have hampered his career in both the IPL and international cricket.
In his IPL career, Mayank has participated in six matches over two seasons, claiming nine wickets with an average of 20.55 and best figures of 3/14. He has also taken four wickets in three T20 internationals for India, averaging 20.75 with a best of 2/32. Unfortunately, an injury limited him to just two matches in 2025, sidelining him for the entire year, but he has since returned to play for India A in warm-up matches leading up to the ICC T20 World Cup this year.
Naman also made a mark during the 2024 ICC U19 World Cup, where he was among the top wicket-takers, helping India secure the runner-up position. He took 12 wickets in six matches, averaging 19.83, including two four-wicket hauls. His last competitive appearances were in the UPT20 League 2024, where he took four wickets in six matches, and he is yet to debut in professional senior cricket.
Langer expressed his enthusiasm for the team's fast bowling depth, saying, "This tournament presents us with a wealth of talent we haven't had before. Alongside our two young bowlers, we have Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Akash Singh, Anrich Nortje from South Africa, and Arjun Tendulkar, all fit and ready. We need to determine which players will best fit the conditions of the red soil wicket for tomorrow's match."
Squads:
Lucknow Super Giants Squad: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Mohammed Shami, Matthew Breetzke, Josh Inglis, Himmat Singh, Mukul Choudhary, Arshin Kulkarni, Naman Tiwari, Arjun Sachin Tendulkar, Manimaran Siddharth, Mayank Prabhu Yadav, Akash Maharaj Singh.
Delhi Capitals Squad: KL Rahul (w), Prithvi Shaw, Abishek Porel, Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, David Miller, Vipraj Nigam, Dushmantha Chameera, Kyle Jamieson, T Natarajan, Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Rana, Karun Nair, Pathum Nissanka, Sahil Parakh, Sameer Rizvi, Madhav Tiwari, Auqib Nabi Dar, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Jadav Mandal.