Delhi Capitals batter Sameer Rizvi was named Player of the Match after a fearless 90 powered a six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Chasing 163, DC found themselves 73\/3 at the midway stage, but Rizvi took control by striking seven fours and the same number of sixes in his 51-ball knock, finishing with a strike rate of 176.47. His innings helped Delhi complete the chase with 11 balls remaining, with the left-hander also building key partnerships of 66 and 78\u2014first with Pathum Nissanka (44) and then with David Miller (21 not out).<\/p>\n
Rizvi said that the breakthrough was the result of steady work on his game. \u201cYes, I have worked very hard on myself because since last year there have been many changes. I worked on all my weaknesses, and I used to have some problems against fast bowlers, so I worked a lot on that throughout the year. The hard work is paying off now, I am batting well,\u201d he said after the match.<\/p>\n
The impact of Rizvi\u2019s innings was also felt in the numbers. His seven sixes were the joint-most by a Delhi batter against Mumbai Indians in IPL history, while his total represented the third-highest individual score by a player from his team against the five-time champions. Coming in as an Impact Player, Rizvi also became only the third player in IPL history to score more runs in a single innings than him\u2014joining the list of Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan, who have managed higher totals in one IPL appearance.<\/p>\n
On how he approached his batting, Rizvi explained that he tries to adjust to the match situation rather than stick to a fixed plan. \u201cI always try to play according to the situation. If the situation is changing, then I play accordingly in both innings. At the start, our situation required some time, so I took my time. Then, according to the situation, once I got settled at the wicket, I played my shots and tried to watch the ball till the very end,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Rizvi further said that performing in the IPL is crucial for confidence and can open up bigger chances. \u201cYes, this is a very important time for any player because if you score runs and bat well here, you gain confidence. You also get opportunities to move ahead, to play more, and to get chances on bigger platforms. So, it is a very good thing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Axar Patel, meanwhile, praised Rizvi for delivering when it mattered and for repeatedly swinging the contest in DC\u2019s favour. \u201cObviously, when planning happens\u2014when you practice together and play cricket together\u2014Ashu (Ashutosh Sharma) is also batting really well,\u201d Axar said.<\/p>\n
He added that the deciding factor is which batter is ready to perform on a given day. \u201cBut it\u2019s about which player you need on a particular day. If that player delivers for you at that time, then it\u2019s great. For me, it\u2019s actually a good problem to have, that I have to choose. I think it shows how strong our bench strength is,\u201d Axar said.<\/p>\n
Axar also highlighted the need for flexibility in T20 cricket, stressing that adaptability can be decisive as conditions change. \u201cObviously, in T20 cricket, flexibility is very important\u2014how you approach the game. If you feel you have players who can play freely and adapt anywhere, and when the pitch behaves differently, you can use those players accordingly. So it\u2019s about being open-minded,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on lessons from last season\u2014when DC managed just one win out of five matches in New Delhi\u2014Axar underlined the importance of treating every game as its own challenge. \u201cBasically, I feel taking it one game at a time is very important. When you\u2019re winning continuously, maintaining that momentum is crucial. Because whenever there\u2019s a break and the momentum stops, making a comeback in a tournament like the IPL, which is a long tournament, becomes difficult. So you focus on one game, do well, and then move on without thinking too much about the past,\u201d Axar concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Delhi Capitals batter Sameer Rizvi was named Player of the Match after a fearless 90 powered a six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians: Sameer Rizvi 90","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Sameer Rizvi\u2019s 90 fires Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026\u2014see how the chase unfolded at Arun Jaitley Stadium.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n