Delhi Capitals staged a comeback after losing early wickets, with Sameer Rizvi’s unbeaten half-century guiding them to a six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match on Wednesday. Lungi Ngidi’s three-wicket haul helped Delhi restrict Lucknow to 141 runs, a target they chased down with 17 balls to spare.
Facing a precarious situation at 26-4, Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs formed an unbeaten partnership of 119 runs to steer Delhi towards victory. Stubbs praised Rizvi’s aggressive style of play, which made his own role easier in supporting the team’s chase.
Lucknow’s Mohammed Shami made an impactful debut by dismissing KL Rahul for a duck on the first ball. Prince Yadav also struck early, removing Pathum Nissanka and Axar Patel in quick succession to put Delhi in trouble. However, Rizvi’s explosive innings, comprising five fours and four sixes, alongside Stubbs, turned the tide in Delhi’s favor.
Rizvi, the standout player of the match, reached his fifty with a boundary off Aiden Markram before sealing the win with a six. Despite the loss, Lucknow captain Rishabh Pant acknowledged the team’s fighting spirit and positive signs for the upcoming matches.
Lucknow’s innings saw early setbacks with Pant’s run-out and wickets falling at regular intervals. Ngidi’s deceptive bowling accounted for key dismissals, while T Natarajan also chipped in with three wickets to help Delhi wrap up the opposition’s innings in 18.4 overs. Mitchell Marsh’s efforts with the bat were in vain as Lucknow’s batting lineup crumbled under pressure. Abdul Samad’s late cameo added some runs, but it was not enough to challenge Delhi’s dominance.