Sameer Rizvi walked in at 7 for 2 in the second over against Mumbai Indians on Saturday. Same situation, different city, different opponent. Second game running as Impact Sub. And for the second game running, he took complete control.
The 22-year-old finished with 90 off 51, turning a wobbling chase of 162 into a comfortable stroll. But the knock was not just about the runs. It was about the method. Rizvi spent the first half of the innings reading the surface, taking his time, watching the ball. His teammates in the stands could see it building. “He may initially struggle but once he gets his eye in, he wouldn’t spare anyone,” teammate Mukesh Kumar said from the dressing room balcony.
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That is exactly what happened. Corbin Bosch’s 11th over was where the game turned completely. Rizvi slapped a slower ball over mid-off, ramped a short one over the keeper, slashed a wide ball over deep point, and muscled the last delivery straight down the ground. Twenty runs off the over, and the chase was as good as done.
He scored 63 of his 90 runs against pace at a strike rate close to 191, which was a direct result of an off-season spent specifically working on that weakness. “I used to always struggle a bit against fast bowlers, so I worked on that extensively throughout the year,” Rizvi said after picking up his second successive Player of the Match award.
His IPL journey has been anything but smooth. Chennai Super Kings paid 8.4 crore for him in 2024. He returned 51 runs in five chances and went back into the auction pool. Delhi picked him up for 95 lakh. He played five games, batted four times, and saved his best for last, a 25-ball 58 not out in a successful 200-plus chase against Punjab Kings, enough for Delhi to keep the faith.
That faith is being repaid in full. Delhi Capitals now have a No. 4 batter who shows up when the innings is in trouble and does not flinch. In a format that rewards clarity and nerve in equal measure, Rizvi is quietly becoming one of the most important players in this tournament.
