The Delhi Capitals (DC) began their IPL 2026 campaign with a dominant six-wicket victory over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Cheteshwar Pujara, a former Indian cricketer, lauded spinner Kuldeep Yadav for his impressive transformation and increased confidence, which he believes plays a crucial role in a bowler's performance. Pujara noted that Kuldeep has been bowling without fear, reflecting a significant change from his previous struggles with self-belief. In the match, LSG batted first and were dismissed for 141 runs, with DC's seamers Lungi Ngidi and T Natarajan each claiming three wickets. DC chased down the target comfortably, thanks to Sameer Rizvi's unbeaten 70 runs. Kuldeep Yadav contributed with two key wickets, including that of Mitchell Marsh, who scored 35 runs. Pujara emphasized that despite being hit for a six, Kuldeep's willingness to bowl in challenging areas demonstrates his growing confidence and skill execution. This victory marks DC's fifth consecutive win against LSG in the IPL.