Delhi Capitals have won the toss and opted to field first in their first IPL 2026 game against the Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday. The two teams are hoping for a fresh start with a host of new faces in their respective franchises. The likes of David Miller, Pathum Nissanka, Anrich Nortje and Nitish Rana are making their first appearance for their new teams.
Lucknow Super Giants Playing XI: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohsin Khan, Mohammed Shami, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav
Delhi Capitals Playing XI: KL Rahul(w), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Axar Patel(c), Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Vipraj Nigam, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar
Pathum Nissanka
Pathum Nissanka has never featured in the IPL before being snapped up for ₹4.2 crore by the Delhi Capitals in the auction. The Sri Lankan smashed a century against Australia in the T20 World Cup and is one of the promising openers around the globe. He beats competition from Prithvi Shaw and Abhishek Porel, both who have IPL experience.
David Miller
A former LSG star, David Miller was bought for his base price of ₹2 crore in the auction. With Delhi needing some much needed firepower in the lower middle order, the veteran perfectly fits the bill.
Lungi Ngidi
Lungi Ngidi replaces Mitchell Starc who is nursing an injury. The Proteas pacer wowed fans around the globe with his performances in the T20 World Cup. Ngidi's variations could aid Delhi's death bowling weaknesses.
Nitish Rana
The left-hander was traded in from the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2026 season. Hailing from Delhi, he now features for his local IPL side and will hope to make a mark. He is amongst the IPL veterans, having captained KKR in Shreyas Iyer's absence in 2023.
Mukul Choudhary
A hard-hitting wicket-keeper batter, LSG bought the youngster to improve their death overs hitting. While he won't keep wickets, he will shore up the lower order batting alongside Abdul Samad and Ayush Badoni.
Mohammed Shami
One of India's greatest pacers, Mohammed Shami will play for his state side after being acquired in a trade ahead of the auction. Out of the Indian team, Shami has a point to prove in terms of skill and fitness. The veteran will be key to LSG's chances of making an impact.
Anrich Nortje
Another South African to feature today, Anrich Nortje played a crucial role in Delhi's run to final in 2020. He is now part of the LSG outfit, and will hope to make a mark after a lackluster stint with KKR.
