IPL 2026 | Match 5: LSG vs DC | Preview and Predictions

Match 5 of the 2026 IPL season will be played between the Lucknow Super Giants and the Delhi Capitals at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 1, 2026. 

Here, we present our preview and prediction for the game.

Indian Premier League 2026 | Match 5: Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | 19:30 IST, 1st April 2026

Last season, the Delhi Capitals started superbly but had an underwhelming end to the league stage, which saw them miss out on the play-offs by a point. DC only managed to win one game from their last five, marking a disappointing end to their campaign. Their middle- and lower-order batters let them down more often than not, with their pace-bowling unit also proving wayward under pressure despite boasting huge names on paper. The management will hope their issues are fixed going into this season, having brought in the very experienced David Miller for that very reason.

As for the Lucknow Super Giants, they ended last season in seventh place, losing four of their last five games of the league stage. Captain Rishabh Pant, who had been the most expensive buy of the mega-auction, failed to justify his price tag, and none of the LSG players barring Nicholas Pooran performed consistently.

Coming to this season, DC have already been weakened considerably. Star Aussie quick Mitchell Starc is set to miss the early part of the season due to injury issues, while England opener Ben Duckett has also withdrawn to focus on the national team. DC do have top options in Lungi Ngidi and Auqib Nabi who can handle the pace bowling attack in Starc’s absence, while the team can go with young Australian Jake Fraser-McGurk or veteran Englishman Jonny Bairstow as Duckett’s possible replacements. They also have Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka in their ranks this year.

LSG also have some key players set to miss the early part of the season, with Wanindu Hasaranga (hamstring injury), Josh Inglis (wedding), and pacer Mayank Yadav (back injury) seemingly doubtful. The rest of their squad is available for selection, though.

Coming to this game, LSG, being the hosts, will want to start with a win. Their batting unit is strong, with Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant, and Nicholas Pooran being dangerous operators with high strike rates. In the bowling department, the Super Giants have the wily Digvesh Rathi who can trouble the DC batters, as well as the express pace of Anrich Nortje and Mohammed Shami. 

The Capitals, on the other hand, have the ever-reliable KL Rahul up the order, who may need support from Abhishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, and David Miller to help the team set a high target or chase down a competitive total.

The Ekana Stadium tends to favour spinners and isn’t a straightforward belter of a pitch where scoring is easy. DC have the advantage here, with the spin-bowling trio of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Vipraj Nigam being one of the best in the league. The DC fast bowling attack also has quality, with Lungi Ngidi, Auqib Nabi, and Mukesh Sharma all being premium wicket-taking bowlers. 

With DC having the better head-to-head record against LSG, the visitors hold an edge in this game and, therefore, are our favourites to take the win here.

Fantasy XI: KL Rahul, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (wk), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), Kuldeep Yadav, Digvesh Rathi, Mohammed Shami, Lungi Ngidi

Venue: Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow 
Winners Prediction: Delhi Capitals