Lucknow Super Giants Prepare for IPL 2026 Opener Against Delhi Capitals
LSG's Preparations for IPL 2026
As the Lucknow Super Giants gear up for their IPL 2026 opener against the Delhi Capitals, head coach Justin Langer has confirmed that pacers Mayank Yadav and Naman Tiwari are ready to play. He described both players as 'exciting prospects' for the team.
Match Details
The match is set to take place at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium on Wednesday. LSG 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.
Langer's Praise for Young Bowlers
Langer expressed his enthusiasm for Naman and Mayank, stating, 'They are both fit and very exciting prospects with bright futures ahead of them.'
Focus on Mayank Yadav
Mayank Yadav has emerged as one of LSG's standout pacers, gaining recognition for his impressive performances in IPL 2024. He consistently bowls at speeds exceeding 150 km/h and has shown remarkable control over his line and length. Despite facing injury setbacks, he has participated in six IPL matches, claiming nine wickets with an average of 20.55, and recorded best figures of 3/14. In T20Is for India, he has taken four wickets in three matches, averaging 20.75 with best figures of 2/32. After a limited appearance in IPL 2025 due to injury, he has recently returned to play for India A in warm-up matches leading up to the ICC T20 World Cup.
Highlighting Naman Tiwari
Naman Tiwari also made a name for himself as one of the top wicket-takers during the 2024 ICC U19 World Cup, where India finished as runners-up. He secured 12 wickets in six matches, averaging 19.83, including two four-wicket hauls. His last competitive matches were in the UPT20 League 2024, where he took four wickets in six games, and he is yet to debut in professional cricket at the senior level.
LSG's Bowling Lineup
Langer highlighted the depth of talent in his team's fast bowling department, stating, 'We have not only those two young bowlers but also 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.'
Team 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.