In the IPL 2026 clash with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Delhi Capitals’ captain Axar Patel won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground in Lucknow. After the toss, Axar stated, “We’ll bowl first. It’s the first match on a fresh wicket; it’s solid and should assist bowlers in the initial overs. While data shows that teams batting first often secure wins, we felt it was best to bowl in this opening game. Last time, we started strong but faltered midway through. We’re focused on the present.” He highlighted their overseas players, including Nissanka, Miller, Stubbs, and Lungi Ngidi. Pathum Nissanka is certainly a player to keep an eye on from the Capitals’ side, alongside power hitters like Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, and Nicholas Pooran, who are expected to thrill the crowd with their big hits. Notably, all four teams have recorded victories on their home turf so far in the league. On the flip side, LSG’s captain Rishabh Pant shared his thoughts: “On this kind of wicket, toss results are less impactful. What matters is the energy we bring, and we’ve revamped our colors, logo, and mindset. We’ve learned from last season’s challenges, particularly regarding injuries, but our bowlers are fit and eager to make an impact. We have a similar overseas lineup, with Nortje joining Markram, Marsh, and Pooran. And yes, we’ve officially changed Nicholas Pant’s name to Nicholas Pant!”
**IPL 2026, Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals: Confirmed Playing XI**
**Lucknow Super Giants:** Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (C) (WK), Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohsin Khan, Mohammad Shami, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav.
**Delhi Capitals:** KL Rahul (WK), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel (C), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar.