21 April,2026 07:21 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Axar Patel (File Pic)
The Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to bowl first against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
SRH are fourth in the points table with six points, while DC are fifth with the same tally. A win for DC would take them above their opponents and into the top four of the Indian Premier League standings.
After winning the toss, Axar Patel said he was happy to bowl first. The Indian all-rounder is set to play his 100th match for DC and hopes to mark the milestone with a win.
"We will bowl first. Luck has been going our way with the toss; winning all matches would have been better. Thank you - I didn't think I would play 100 matches for DC. Hopefully, it will end with a win tonight. To balance the team, you need to understand your playing XI based on the conditions and the wicket. With a big squad, it becomes difficult to manage everyone, but we always tell players that whatever contribution they make should be for the team. Whoever is selected, we choose the best XI for the team. One change: Nitish Rana replaces Aquib Nabi," Axar Patel said.
Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan admitted he would have preferred to bowl first as well, but was content with setting a target and defending it.
"We have a few changes. The team has been doing well. It's not just about the results but also about execution and mindset. The players have been in a good space, coming up with plans, and that's what any captain wants from young bowlers. We will take it one match at a time and continue to focus on execution," Ishan Kishan said.
Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul(w), Sameer Rizvi, Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel(c), David Miller, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Lungi Ngidi
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan(c), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora(w), Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivang Kumar, Harsh Dubey, Sakib Hussain, Eshan Malinga
