Delhi Capitals' Sri Lankan pacer Dushmantha Chameera is confident ahead of the IPL 2026 season as his team take on Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday (April
1).
Dushmantha Chameera, the Sri Lankan pace spearhead, brings raw speed and aggression to Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026. Retained for ₹75 lakh, the 34-year-old right-arm fast bowler, known for consistently hitting 145+ kph, bolsters DC's pace attack alongside Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi, and others.
In 19 prior IPL matches, he has claimed 13 wickets, excelling in death overs with his accuracy and bounce. Chameera adds international pedigree and variety to Axar Patel's bowling unit, potentially thriving on Indian pitches if he maintains rhythm.
DC's squad features a revamped batting lineup with KL Rahul, Pathum Nissanka, David Miller, Prithvi Shaw, and Tristan Stubbs, supported by spinners Kuldeep Yadav. The pace-heavy attack aims for early breakthroughs and middle-over control, targeting a maiden IPL title.
The Capitals missed out on Playoffs last season despite a strong start, and Axar Patel's team would be aiming for the same as they take on their Northern rivals. And at the pre-match conference, Chameera spoke about the privilege of playing in the IPL.
"For every player, including myself, it's a dream to play here. I've been part of the Capitals set up for couple of years, including last season, and I'm hopeful that if I get the opportunity, I can perform well," Chameera said.
Chameera also noted that the home teams have won the matches so far in the first three encounters, but he is confident to turn the tables.
"So far this season, we've seen that home teams have won all three matches. We expect them (LSG) to come hard at us. That said, we've prepared well over the past few days and we have a lot of experienced players in our squad, so we're confident of putting in a strong performance tomorrow," he added.
When speaking about LSG players, the Sri Lanka pacer pointed out two Lucknow overseas players, who can be dangerous on their day. But despite that, the DC bowler sounded confident.
"Players like Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh at the top are in good form and performed really well recently. On these kinds of wickets, execution is key for fast bowlers, so our focus is on being precise with our plans," he concluded.
