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Rizvi razzle dazzle sinks Super Giants

cricket01 April 2026 17:45| © MWP
By:Antoinette Muller
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Delhi Capitals overpowered Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets in their Tata Indian Premier League opener on Wednesday night.

Sameer Rizvi struck an unbeaten 70 off 47 balls and rescued his side from a spot of bother as they eventually hunted a below-par 142 target with ease, as Tristan Stubbs (39 not out off 32) provided ample support in an unbroken century stand.

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Lungi Ngidi had earlier snared 3-27 from his four overs, while Thangarasu Natarajan claimed 3-29 as the visitors rattled out their hosts for 141 after opting to field first.

Abdul Samad’s 36 off 25 and a 28-ball 35 from the top of the order from Mitch Marsh were the only bright notes in a first innings where no one else managed more than 15.

The Capitals were reeling when KL Rahul was caught off the first ball of their reply, skying Mohammed Shami to deep backward point.

Nitish Rana found the boundary three times but fell to Mohsin Khan, caught by Samad, before Pathum Nissanka soon followed, caught behind by Rishabh Pant as Prince Yadav struck for the first time.

Prince was hitting a purple patch and clean bowled Axar with his next legal delivery for nought, as the Capitals crumbled to 26-4.

But the Super Giants had no answer to the stand between Rizvi and Stubbs.

The pair accumulated steadily, taking advantage of their modest target, before stepping up a gear as they registered a precious 50 partnership.

Aiden Markram was the risky bowling change and it didn’t work - Rizvi launching him over the rope to bring up the 100, then carving through point to go to his half century off 37 balls.

He went again to register the century stand off 71 balls, swatting to leg for his third maximum before the 22-year-old blasted the winning runs out of the park with 17 balls to spare as the Capitals finished on 145-4.

GIANTS FELLED

The Super Giants were earlier disappointed to be restricted to their all-out total of 141 after being invited to bat first in front of an expectant home crowd, decked out in new red and blue-striped kit.

Pant was an early innocent victim as Marsh’s straight drive glanced off the outstretched wrist of bowler Mukesh Kumar and on to the non-striker’s stumps, with the captain run out for a nine-ball seven after pushing himself to the top of the order.

Markram copied Marsh in lifting Axar for a straight six but the skipper struck back instantly, cramping the South African for room as he was bowled for 11 to leave his side with work to do.

Ayush Badoni was nudged up the order but toe-ended a wild drive at Natarajan to depart for a duck, leaving it to Nicolas Pooran to bring up the 50.

The West Indian was the threat but fell for a run-a-ball eight when he was bamboozled by an Ngidi slower ball before Marsh went downtown one time too many, perishing when Stubbs took a comfortable catch at long off as Kuldeep Yadav struck.

Samad and Mukul Choudhary embarked on the rebuild, bringing up the team 100 in the 13th over only for the latter to prod a leading edge straight back to Kuldeep as the Super Giants slumped to 105-6.

Samad played well, though, reaching 36 off 25 before slamming his straight drive down the throat of David Miller in the deep, giving Natarajan his second scalp.

And he had his third when Shami’s aimless shovel into the off side found the hands of Kuldeep.

Anrich Nortje picked out countryman Stubbs off another Ngidi slower ball, in a South African triumvirate, with Mohsin Khan guiding his first delivery straight to gully as the hosts waved the white flag with the bat.

LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS: Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (Capt, wk), Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohsin Khan, Mohammed Shami, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav.

IMPACT OPTIONS: Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akshat Raghuvanshi.

DELHI CAPITALS: KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel (Capt), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar.

IMPACT OPTIONS: Ashutosh Sharma, Auqib Nabi, Sameer Rizvi, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair.

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