The IPL 2026 season heats up with the 5th match pitting Lucknow Super Giants against Delhi Capitals on April 1, 2026, at 7:30 PM IST (6:30 PM PKT local time) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Both teams enter this early clash hungry for points after a subdued 2025 campaign, making it a crucial battle to set the tone.
This is Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals, IPL 2026, 5th Match. Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Time: 7:30 PM IST. Venue: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow.
Expect a bowler-friendly surface at Ekana Stadium, where spinners and medium pacers thrive thanks to the slow track and India’s longest straight boundaries at 81 meters. Average first-innings scores hover around 170-175, with anything over 185 often proving defendable; teams batting first hold a historical edge as the pitch deteriorates. Weather looks ideal with partly cloudy skies, temperatures from 33°C at toss dropping to 28°C by late evening, and zero rain risk—perfect for uninterrupted T20 action.
As the 5th fixture after a explosive Week 1 where RCB, MI, RR, and PBKS grabbed wins, LSG and DC desperately need a strong start to avoid early-season pressure. For LSG, captain Rishabh Pant faces his former franchise DC in a revenge narrative, while DC’s new skipper Axar Patel aims to leverage their head-to-head dominance. Both sides revamped squads post-2025 disappointments—LSG seventh with six wins, DC struggling similarly—making this home game for Lucknow pivotal for momentum.
Recent Form and Momentum
Neither team has played competitive IPL matches yet, coming off intra-squad warm-ups. LSG’s practice games showed batting firepower, posting 241-5 in one intra-squad clash, signaling explosive potential under Justin Langer’s coaching focus on fielding discipline. DC, bolstered by auction buys like KL Rahul, enter with quiet confidence from superior recent records against LSG. Pre-season buzz centers on LSG’s pace upgrades and DC’s balanced attack, but real tests begin here.
LSG vs DC Match Details
- Event: IPL 2026 4th T20
- Teams: Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals
- Date: 01 April 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM IST
- Venue: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari
IPL Live streaming
IPL 2026 kicked off today, March 28, with the RCB vs SRH opener at Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tournament wraps up on May 31 in Bengaluru, featuring 84 league matches plus 4 playoffs for a total of 88 high-octane games.
League stage runs daily from March 28 through late May, with playoffs starting soon after—Qualifier 1 around May 24-25, leading to the grand final on May 31 at 7:30 PM IST
- In India: Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 HD will broadcast all matches of the IPL 2025 live on TV. The matches will also be live-streamed on the FanCode app.
- Pakistan: Tapmad Visit the Tapmad website, download the app, and access the live match stream.
- In the United States: United States: FuboTV Sign up for a free trial, download the app or visit the website, and tune into Willow TV to watch the live match.
- In the United Kingdom: BT Sport will broadcast and livestream all matches of the IPL 2025.
- In Australia: Kayo Sports will broadcast all matches of the IPL 2025 live on TV. The matches will also be live-streamed on the Foxtel Go app.
- In New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ will stream all matches of the IPL 2025 live on TV. The matches will also be live-streamed on the Sky Go app.
- In the Caribbean: SportsMax TV will provide live coverage for the IPL 2025.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
JioHotstar app/website (India) for live streaming, Star Sports TV channels for telecast. Check carrier apps for free access via recharges—legal and seamless for most users in Pakistan too via VPN if geo-blocked, though official free paths stick to telecom deals.
Live Streaming Info:
The 5th T20 IP 2026 DC vs LSG will be live on Star Sports.
Live Score Info:
Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals, IPL 2026: All matches on ESPN and Cricbuzz have live scores.
Head-to-Head Record
In seven IPL meetings since 2022, DC lead 4-3 overall. DC have won four of the last five, including a 8-wicket thrashing in Lucknow last April and a last-ball thriller in March 2025. Key results: DC by 8 wkts (Apr 22, 2025, Lucknow), DC by 1 wkt (Mar 24, 2025, Vizag), DC by 19 runs (May 14, 2024, Delhi), DC by 6 wkts (Apr 12, 2024, Lucknow), LSG by 50 runs (Apr 1, 2023, Lucknow).
Lucknow Super Giants Analysis
LSG boast an elite pace attack with Mohammed Shami, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan, and the raw speed of Mayank Yadav— their biggest strength after targeting overseas bowlers in the auction. Weaknesses linger in spin depth post-Ravi Bishnoi’s exit and injury-prone pacers. Key players: Rishabh Pant (C/WK) for explosive keeping and finishing, Nicholas Pooran for middle-order mayhem, Mitchell Marsh for all-round impact, and Shami’s new-ball swing. Recent practice form highlights their batting depth, but consistency remains key.
Probable XI: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Anrich Nortje, Mohammad Shami, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Digvesh Rathi.
Delhi Capitals Analysis
DC’s strengths shine in a versatile spin duo of Axar Patel (C) and Kuldeep Yadav, complemented by pace from Mitchell Starc and T Natarajan, plus batting firepower from KL Rahul and David Miller. Vulnerabilities include top-order fragility beyond Rahul and over-reliance on all-rounders like Axar. Standouts: KL Rahul (WK) returning to Lucknow for fireworks, Tristan Stubbs for lower-order hitting, Kuldeep’s wicket-taking spin (key vs LSG), and Axar’s leadership. Their head-to-head edge fuels momentum.
Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (C), Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Auqib Nabi, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi.
Key Talking Points
Pant vs his old DC mates adds personal spice, especially against Kuldeep Yadav who’s dominated this fixture. KL Rahul’s homecoming at Ekana could swing emotions, while Shami vs DC openers tests new LSG fire. Spin battles on this slow pitch—Axar/Kuldeep vs LSG middle order—and pace duels like Nortje vs Rahul promise fireworks. Fielding upgrades for LSG under Langer vs DC’s steady unit could decide close chases.
LSG hold a razor-thin 51% win edge at home, banking on superior pace and Ekana’s bowling-friendly nature to defend 170+. DC’s 49% shot relies on head-to-head mastery and spin control, but LSG’s revamped attack tips the scales for a narrow 6-wicket home win—or 5-10 run defense if batting first. Expect a tense, low-scoring thriller under the lights. (Word count