IPL 2026 Begins: DC Bowl First vs LSG as Axar, Pant Set New Season Tone

After winning the toss, DC captain Axar Patel said he chose to bowl first to test the fresh pitch for pace assistance. He noted that chasing teams usually win. He also listed the overseas players in the DC lineup for the match: batters David Miller, Pathum Nissanka, and Tristan Stubbs, and bowler Lungi Ngidi.

"Fresh wicket, red soil, we want to see if the wicket offers assistance to the pacers. Data says chasing teams win, but it's also a new tournament and I think we should start by bowling first. Last year, we started well but lost it in the middle. We want to start well again. Overseas picks - Three batters - Miller, Nissanka, Stubbs and the bowler Ngid," Axar Patel said at the toss.

LSG captain Rishabh Pant, on the other hand, said the toss wouldn't have much impact on the pitch. He added that last season's injury concerns are behind them, with players now fit and ready to contribute. Pant also confirmed the overseas picks: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, and Anrich Nortje.

"Not much will change on this wicket, so toss won't matter. It's a completely new energy, new logo, colour and mindset. We're feeling good and rearing to go. Injuries was a concern last year, won't dwell on that too much. Bowlers are fit, everyone's willing to go in and make an impact. Markram, Marsh and Pooran and Nortje are our overseas picks," Pant said.

LSG will look to kick their campaign off with a win in a bid to improve on their last season's seventh-place finish. DC, on the other hand, will also look to put up a better show than the last season, where they could not qualify for the playoffs despite winning five games of their first seven matches.

LSG vs DC playing 11s:

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

Impact subs: Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akshat Raghuvanshi

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

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

- ANI