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DC Bowl First vs LSG in IPL 2026 Clash, Auqib Nabi Misses Out

Delhi Capitals won the toss and chose to bowl first against Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2026 opener. Captain Axar Patel explained the decision was based on assessing the red-soil pitch and wanting to test the bowling attack early. LSG skipper Rishabh Pant emphasized the team's renewed energy, changed identity, and focus on improving from last season. Key player Auqib Nabi was listed as an impact substitute for DC but did not make the starting playing eleven.

Key Points: IPL 2026: Delhi Capitals Bowl First Against Lucknow Super Giants

  • DC wins toss and bowls first
  • Axar Patel cites pitch and bowling assessment
  • Rishabh Pant highlights LSG's new energy
  • Auqib Nabi named impact sub, misses XI
2 min read

IPL 2026: Aquib Nabi misses out as Delhi Capitals elect to bowl against LSG

Delhi Capitals elect to bowl against LSG in IPL 2026. Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant share insights on team strategy and new season mindset.

"We will bowl first. First game, red soil, so we want to see how the pitch plays. - Axar Patel"

Lucknow, April 1

Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to bowl against Lucknow Super Giants in the fifth match of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday.

"We will bowl first. First game, red soil, so we want to see how the pitch plays," said DC captain Axar Patel after winning the toss. Obviously, the data is there that the second team wins more. The tournament is starting, we want to see how our bowling goes, and that's what we wanted to bowl. Last season, we started well, but we failed to qualify because of one match in the middle. We want to start well again, hope to see it go then."

On his overseas pick, Patel said, "three batters and a bowler. David Miller, Pathum Nissanka, Tristan Stubbs, and Lungi Ngidi."

Rishabh Pant, Lucknow Super Giants captain, said, "I think it doesn't matter in a wicket like this. It's always good to have what you want. The wicket won't change much apart from the dew. I think it's a completely new energy for sure. We have changed our colour, logo, and definitely our mindset over the last year. We are also working on the negative stuff for sure.

"We are feeling good, and I think that's the only thing I am going to say. I am feeling good and ready to roar. Well, definitely we have to improve from what we did last season. We need to look into the injuries as well. As a captain, you can't look into those things too much. The bowlers are really fit and waiting to just go out there and make an impact," he added.

Playing XIs:

Delhi Capitals: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Rana, Axar Patel (c), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav

Impact substitutes: Sameer Rizvi, Karun Nair, Ashutosh Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Auqib Nabi

Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (c and wk), Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohsin Khan, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, Anrich Nortje

Impact substitutes: Digvesh Singh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akshat Raghuwanshi

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting overseas picks for DC. Stubbs and Ngidi are match-winners on their day. LSG's new look is exciting! Pant's energy as captain is always infectious. Hoping for a cracking start to the tournament! 🏏
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Ananya R
Axar's reasoning makes sense. Data-driven decisions are key in modern cricket. But as a fan, I feel for Auqib Nabi. He must be gutted to miss out after being in the squad. Hope he gets his chance soon. The impact sub rule is so crucial now.
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Vikram M
Good to see KL Rahul back in DC colors! And LSG with Pant leading is a fresh vibe. The real test will be the middle overs. DC's spin attack vs LSG's power hitters like Pooran and Samad. That's where the match will be won or lost.
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Michael C
Respectfully, I think DC's batting looks a bit thin after the top order. Heavy reliance on Miller and Stubbs. LSG's lineup seems more balanced on paper. Pant's point about managing injuries is very valid for a long tournament.
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Priya S
The atmosphere at Ekana must be electric! 🎉 Bowling first is a bold call, but Axar knows his team's strengths. Just hope the decision doesn't backfire. Come on Delhi! Let's start the season with a win. #IPL2026

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