Sameer Rizvi turned a tricky chase into a statement performance, arriving as an ‘Impact Substitute’ and steering Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants, giving their IPL campaign an ideal launch here on Wednesday despite early damage at the top.
Set a modest target of 142, DC were in disarray at 26 for 4 inside the first five overs. From that precarious position, Rizvi (70 not out off 47 balls), coming in for T Natarajan, joined forces with the experienced Tristan Stubbs (39 not out off 32 balls) to stitch together an unbroken 119-run partnership for the fifth wicket, wrapping up the contest in just 17.1 overs and securing all two points.
Rizvi handled the early pressure with composure, carefully negotiating the probing
spells of Mohammed Shami (1/28 in 4 overs), Mohsin Khan (1/19 in 4 overs) and Prince Yadav (2/20 in 3 overs). He eventually opened up to finish with five fours and four sixes, transforming what initially seemed a difficult pursuit on a seamer-friendly surface into a routine finish.
His intent truly shifted once he ramped Anrich Nortje over the keeper for six, signalling a change in gears. The decisive passage came in the 10th over of the DC innings, bowled by Shahbaz Ahmed, his only over. Rizvi slog-swept him behind square, then pulled to square leg, before glancing one fine, plundering 16 runs and swinging the momentum decisively.
From there, Rizvi did not let up, lifting Aiden Markram over long-on and pulling Mohsin with authority, gradually dismantling LSG’s plans and draining any remaining resistance.
With a small total to defend, LSG needed wickets upfront, and Shami delivered immediately as KL Rahul departed for a first-ball duck, caught trying to slash over point.
Mohsin, returning after a year on the sidelines, extracted extra bounce to have Nitish Rana taken at slip.
Pathum Nissanka’s debut outing ended in disappointment when he miscued a pull off Prince Yadav, with Rishabh Pant running back to complete a well-judged catch.
DC’s most reliable performer, captain Axar Patel, then fell to a superb delivery from Prince Yadav that tailed in late and shattered his stumps.
At that stage, DC were wobbling, but Rizvi and Stubbs calmly took control, rebuilding methodically before accelerating to close out an emphatic win.
Earlier, LSG produced a dismal batting performance, compounded by puzzling tactical choices, and were bundled out for 141 in 18.4 overs after Delhi Capitals skipper Axar chose to bowl first.
Although the Ekana Stadium pitch was far from a batting paradise, it offered no justification for the home side’s lacklustre effort with the bat.
A fit-again T Natarajan (3/29 in 4 overs), Kuldeep Yadav (2/31 in 4 overs) and the impressive Lungi Ngidi (3/27 in 3.4 overs), who delivered what could be a contender for the ‘ball of the tournament’, combined to torment an LSG line-up that looked as fragile on the field as it had appeared in pre-season assessments.
Captain Rishabh Pant, in a move that raised eyebrows tactically, broke up the successful opening pair of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh to push himself to the top of the order.
Pant (7 off 9 balls) began with a crisp back-foot drive straight past Mukesh Kumar, but in the very next over was run out at the non-striker’s end when the bowler got a fingertip to a powerful straight hit from Marsh.
Yet even before the dismissal, Pant never truly settled despite that early boundary, and the promotion seemed more like an urgent bid to reclaim his India T20 place than a measured strategic choice.
Aiden Markram (11) struck a six and a four, but DC skipper Axar Patel responded with a straight, wicket-to-wicket delivery that went through his defence.
Highly rated Ayush Badoni (0) nicked off to T Natarajan, the ball angled across him and took the edge, but it was Ngidi’s confidence with his slower-ball variations that defined the innings.
He produced a floating off-cutter to dismiss the dangerous Nicholas Pooran (8 off 8 balls), whose game revolves around bat-speed, as the ball dipped late, slid between bat and pad, and crashed into the stumps.
Crucially, Ngidi managed all this without any noticeable change in arm speed, cleverly taking the pace off while maintaining deception.
Having honed his pace-off deliveries with different lengths, Ngidi squeezed the scoring further, also removing Shahbaz Ahmed with a wide, slower yorker, a demanding skill to execute under pressure.
Kuldeep, for his part, absorbed some early punishment but responded effectively, dismissing the threatening Marsh with a googly that caused the bat face to twist in his hands, resulting in a leading edge looping to mid-off, capping a comprehensive bowling effort that set up DC’s successful chase.
(With PTI Inputs)
