Delhi Capitals take on Lucknow Super Giants in Match 5 of IPL 2026 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 1. Both sides are still chasing their first IPL title and will be eager to get off to a strong start this season. Both LSG and DC had almost similar fates in the last edition. Delhi won five of their first six games but could only register two wins in their next eight matches. Almost similarly, Lucknow won four of their first games before losing six of their next matches to finish in the seventh spot in the points table.
Here is our complete DC vs LSG IPL 2026 prediction and everything you need to know before the first ball is bowled.
Match Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | DC vs LSG IPL 2026 Match 5 |
| Date | Wednesday 1 April 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| Last meeting result | DC won by 2 wickets (IPL 2025) |
Delhi Capitals Current Form & Squad Overview
Delhi Capitals enter 2026 under a new wave of energy. Axar Patel takes over as the full time captain, bringing stability and composure to a franchise that has lacked consistent leadership in recent years. After his high profile release from LSG, KL Rahul has joined the Delhi Capitals for the 2026 season, bringing much needed composure to their batting lineup. Mitchell Starc, whom DC retained for INR 11.75 crore, will be missing the early part of the season as he is recovering from a shoulder and an elbow injury. That is a significant blow, but the squad has more than enough firepower to compensate.
Key players: KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs
Check out – All 10 teams Full Squad Exclusive Detailed Analysis.
Concern areas:
- The absence of Mitchell Starc will be a concern for their powerplay bowling, leaving their new ball attack without its marquee pacer for the opening weeks.
- The top order combination is still being finalized, with management deciding between Pathum Nissanka and Abishek Porel as Rahul’s opening partner.
Lucknow Super Giants Current Form & Squad Overview
Lucknow Super Giants have undergone a significant transformation heading into this season. The franchise has entered a new phase under captain Rishabh Pant, who became the most expensive player in IPL history at 27 crore. With a revamped coaching staff featuring Justin Langer, Bharat Arun, and Carl Crowe, LSG is focused on clinching its maiden title. LSG strengthened their squad with key additions including Mohammed Shami, Josh Inglis, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Anrich Nortje.8
Key players: Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav
Concern areas:
- LSG would not want over reliance on their overseas batters Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran. Each of them got over 400 runs last IPL, while all of LSG’s Indian batters combined scored only 835 runs. That Indian batting dependency is a real concern.
- LSG released Ravi Bishnoi as part of a broader squad restructuring to refresh their spin attack, meaning their spin department is now in a transitional phase with Wanindu Hasaranga still settling in.
Head to Head Record
| Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total matches | 7 |
| Delhi Capitals wins | 4 |
| Lucknow Super Giants wins | 3 |
| No result | 0 |
| Last 5 meetings | DC 3 and LSG 2 |
In the rivalry, LSG had the early advantage by winning the first three games. After that, DC made a comeback and won the next three matches, making it equal. Delhi then clinched the seventh meeting in a dramatic 2025 encounter, giving them the overall edge. In the three matches played between Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, DC has won 2 times while LSG has won 1. That is a remarkable stat, as DC have actually performed better at Lucknow’s own fortress than LSG themselves.
Venue & Pitch Report Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
Pitch Insight: The Ekana Stadium pitch is one of the most discussed surfaces in the IPL due to its slow nature. Early on, it offers decent pace and carry for the seamers, but as the match progresses, the surface tends to grip and turn, making life increasingly difficult for batters.
The pitch is a mix of black and red soil, roughly 70 percent black and 30 percent red. It looks like it will play a little bit two paced. The venue boasts some of the longest straight boundaries in India. Straight boundaries are 81 metres long, the longest in the country. This means clearing the ropes down the ground requires extraordinary power. The Ekana Cricket Stadium has hosted 58 IPL matches, and the numbers clearly highlight a significant advantage for teams batting second. Out of these matches, 38 have been won by the chasing side, accounting for 64.91 percent of the games. This consistent trend points to the ground being more favourable for run chases.
| Venue Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Avg 1st innings score (IPL) | 175 |
| Matches won batting first | 35% |
| Matches won chasing | 65% |
| Highest score at venue | 235/6 (KKR vs LSG, IPL 2024) |
| Lowest score at venue | 143/9 (DC vs LSG, IPL 2023) |
| Wickets (Pace vs Spin) | 60% Pace and 40% Spin |
Key Player Battles to Watch
🔥 Rishabh Pant vs Kuldeep Yadav – The former teammates and close friends will now be on opposite sides of the battlefield. Pant is known for his audacious shot making against spin, but Kuldeep’s wrong’uns and chinaman variations have historically troubled the best left handers. This middle overs duel will be an absolute chess match.
Innings – 4 |Runs – 23 |Balls – 25 |Out – 3| SR – 92 |Avg – 7.7
🔥 Nicholas Pooran vs Axar Patel – This is a fascinating clash of explosive Caribbean power against pinpoint accuracy. Pooran absolutely loves taking down spinners in the middle overs, but facing Axar and his flat, stump to stump left arm orthodox deliveries on a gripping Ekana surface presents a completely different challenge. If the Delhi skipper can restrict the scoring rate and keep the ball away from the hitting arc, he might just force a crucial mistake from the dangerous LSG finisher.Innings – 2 |Runs – 28 |Balls – 08 |Out – 0| SR – 350
🔥 KL Rahul vs Mayank Yadav – This is the ultimate narrative battle of the match. Rahul returning to Lucknow, the city where he captained for three seasons, only to face the raw express pace of Mayank Yadav. Rahul knows the Ekana surface intimately, but Mayank’s ability to clock 150+ consistently could unsettle even the most composed batter in the powerplay.
Probable Playing XI
Delhi Capitals Probable XI:
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Abishek Porel
- Nitish Rana
- Tristan Stubbs ✈️
- David Miller ✈️
- Axar Patel (c)
- Ashutosh Sharma
- Auqib Nabi Dar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Lungi Ngidi ✈️
- T Natarajan
Impact Sub: Vipraj Nigam
Lucknow Super Giants Probable XI:
- Mitchell Marsh ✈️
- Aiden Markram ✈️
- Nicholas Pooran ✈️
- Rishabh Pant (c & wk)
- Ayush Badoni
- Abdul Samad
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Digvesh Rathi
- Avesh Khan
- Mayank Yadav
- Anrich Nortje ✈️
Impact Sub: Mohsin Khan
DC vs LSG IPL 2026 Prediction
Delhi Capitals should emerge victorious in this contest. On paper, Lucknow Super Giants have the home advantage and a fearsome pace battery, but DC’s balanced squad and the remarkable record of winning 2 out of 3 matches at Ekana gives them a genuine psychological edge. KL Rahul’s familiarity with every crack and blade of grass at this ground is an invaluable weapon, and coupled with Kuldeep Yadav exploiting the slow turn on offer, Delhi’s game plan looks perfectly tailored for these conditions. The absence of Mitchell Starc is concerning, but Lungi Ngidi and T Natarajan bring enough quality to fill the gap early in the tournament.
Upset Possibility: LSG can flip this script if Rishabh Pant channels his destructive best in the middle overs and Mayank Yadav delivers a blistering spell that rattles the DC top order before they settle in.
| Prediction | Detail |
|---|---|
| Winner | Delhi Capitals |
| Key factor | KL Rahul’s familiarity with Ekana and DC’s superior record at this venue |
| Upset possibility | Rishabh Pant launching a counterattack and Mayank Yadav delivering a hostile opening spell |
| Player to watch | KL Rahul |
Final Word
That wraps up our DC vs LSG IPL 2026 prediction. This match is dripping with personal storylines. KL Rahul walks into the Ekana stadium where he once called the shots, now wearing the blue of Delhi Capitals, while Rishabh Pant leads a franchise that once belonged to him. Both teams are desperate to prove that their disappointing 2025 campaigns were anomalies rather than a true reflection of their potential.
Will Axar Patel’s men silence the Lucknow crowd with a clinical away victory, or will Rishabh Pant deliver a statement performance to announce the beginning of LSG’s title charge? Drop your predictions in the comments below! And make sure to check back after the match for our detailed post match analysis.