Lucknow: Just before the start of IPL 2026, Delhi Capitals captain and all-rounder Axar Patel stated he is “not a fan” of the Impact Player rule, arguing it diminishes the role of all-rounders by encouraging teams to pick specialist batters or bowlers. It was his personal view but he didn’t know this rule would benefit his side in the opening encounter of the cash rich league,
After losing four wickets for just 26 runs in the season opener against hosts Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday night, Axar Patel and Co were in big trouble while chasing 142 to win. But ‘Impact player’ and local cricketer Sameer Rizvi not only steadied DC’s innings but also guided his side to a comfortable six-wicket win with 17 balls to spare.
“I was an Impact player in the match and I am happy that I could make a difference for my team,” said Sameer Rizvi after receiving the Player of the Match award. “I knew my role well and I wasn’t in a rush. As a regular player on this surface, I am well aware of the nature of the wickets here.”
Rizvi, who also scored a half-century in his last match for DC in the 2025 season, came to bat at No. 4 as an Impact Player, substituting bowler T Natarajan, who had already taken three wickets after DC chose to field first upon winning the toss. Rizvi struck an unbeaten 70 off 47 balls with the help of five boundaries and four sixes. His 119-run unbeaten fifth wicket stand also made a big impact on DC’s win before he finished off the game with a towering six over mid-wicket off Abdul Samad.
It’s a complete turnaround for Meerut’s Rizvi in the IPL. After being picked for ₹8.40 crore in the 2024 auction by the Chennai Super Kings, the batter, popularly called the right-handed Suresh Raina, remained a big failure, scoring just 51 in eight innings and was not retained by CSK. But he was picked by DC in 2025 for ₹95 lakh. He had a lukewarm season, managing just 121 runs in four innings, and ended with an unbeaten 58 off 25 balls to sign off DC’s campaign with a win.
“Ups and downs are part of everyone’s career and I am happy that I could deliver for my side when it was required most. When I came to bat it was a tricky situation for the side, but my intention was to play positive cricket. We (Stubbs and him) decided to go with the flow and take our chances without experimenting anything extra,” said Rizvi, a key batter for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket.
“It was a tough situation and the ball was swinging well. So, we took some time and decided to go hard on loose deliveries. It was a simple game plan as we just wanted to win the game for the side. I always make sure that I should give my best whenever I get a chance to play,” he further said.
Rizvi has been among the top run-getters in the UPT20 League for the last three seasons, and most of his runs came at this very venue. His experience playing on this red soil turf greatly helped him shape his innings on Wednesday night. “The ball was slipping a lot and it was tough to play fast bowlers, but I knew it well if I stood there for long, it would be easy for me later.”
He, however, said that starting the new IPL season with a maiden half-century, has boosted his confidence and he will be hoping to continue this form in further matches too. “Tonight’s knock has boosted my confidence and I would like to continue my form in further matches also. Even in the off-season camps of DC, I was always assured of a free-flowing batting by the skipper and the support staff and it gave me a lot of confidence.”
