Rishabh Pant will captain Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2026 season opener against Delhi Capitals. After a mixed debut season as skipper, Pant returns with a fully fit squad and a strengthened lineup.
LSG have bolstered their pace attack with key additions like Mohammed Shami and Anrich Nortje. Their batting unit also looks settled, with Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram expected to open, while Pant is likely to bat higher up the order alongside Nicholas Pooran.
Delhi Capitals will look to achieve greater consistency this season. KL Rahul is expected to open the innings, while their bowling attack will be spearheaded by the spin duo of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Lungi Ngidi and T Natarajan further strengthen the pace unit.
Pitch Report
The match will be played at Ekana Cricket Stadium, with Pitch No. 4 in use. The average first-innings score last season was 187, slightly lower than 203 in 2024, indicating a balanced surface.
Predicted Playing XIs
Lucknow Super Giants:
Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Shami, Mayank Yadav, Digvesh Rathi
Delhi Capitals:
KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Axar Patel (capt), David Miller, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Auqib Nabi, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav
Match Time & Weather Conditions
The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, with clear weather conditions expected throughout the evening. Temperatures are likely to be around 33°C at toss time, gradually dropping to approximately 28°C as the match progresses, ensuring favorable playing conditions.
