New Delhi, April 4 – Sameer Rizvi scored his first boundary on Saturday, taking ten deliveries to do so, as Delhi Capitals chased 163 against Mumbai Indians. By the end of the match, Rizvi, a key player, had effectively sealed the victory for Delhi Capitals in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL).
In a packed Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Rizvi smashed 90 off 51 balls, leading Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians with 11 balls to spare. He reached his fifty in just 31 balls, hitting seven sixes and as many boundaries on a pitch that had challenged even the best players in the afternoon and evening.
“In practice, he is always very positive. So, initially, he struggled a bit. He used to say that if he got going early, he could play a long innings, and he is doing exactly that. It’s great for the team and helps us win matches,” said Delhi Capitals pacer Mukesh Kumar in the post-match press conference.
The match had set up a thrilling finish. At the ten-over mark, Delhi Capitals were 73/3 – the same score Mumbai Indians had reached at the same stage of their innings. The similarities were undeniable – two early wickets had fallen in each chase. A fifty partnership for the third wicket and an opener departing in the tenth over in each innings.
The game appeared finely balanced, but then Rizvi faced Corbin Bosch in the 11th over. He had been cautious up to that point, with his strike rate hovering below 100, as his senior partner Pathum Nissanka had been scoring runs. When Nissanka was dismissed, the responsibility fell on young Rizvi, who seized the opportunity.
He dispatched a wide delivery over mid-off for four. The next ball, having committed to a pull shot, Rizvi adjusted quickly and drove it past the wicketkeeper to the third-man boundary. Then came two crucial shots that broke Mumbai's back: a six over deep point and another over long-on, resulting in 20 runs from the over.
With this, the target became easily achievable. Rizvi’s innings provided valuable insights into both innings and the pitch conditions. Against pacers, he scored 63 runs off 33 balls at a strike rate of 190.9. Against spinners, he scored 27 runs off 18 deliveries at a strike rate of 150.
Seventy of his 90 runs came via boundaries. His seven sixes were more than the entire batting lineup of Mumbai managed in their innings on the same strip. He preferred the off side for his scoring – 52 runs there at a strike rate of 200 – while 32 runs came through the leg side and the remaining six runs came downtown.
If Rizvi's ramp against Bosch left Delhi Capitals fans stunned, then his back-to-back sixes off Mayank Markande were a sight to behold. The first maximum was a pure display of hand speed; the second was textbook – quick feet, clean swing, the ball clearing long-on without drama.
If Rizvi hadn't holed out to long-off for 90, he would have been the third Impact Player in IPL history to score a century. While Delhi Capitals celebrated their victory, Mumbai Indians had a disappointing evening. Rizvi, wearing jersey number 7 for Delhi Capitals, a number synonymous with MS Dhoni, couldn't ignore it.
“I think he has the potential because when CSK bought him first in the auction, they bought him for 8 crores. So obviously, the potential was always there. Now, with the experience, he has become better. What I have seen in IPL is that confidence is the key to success because everybody who is selected in the IPL has the skill, right?
“So now, I think he has become confident. You can see, back-to-back, he scored runs. He's got better and better. So it's learning for everybody that skill doesn't matter. Confidence matters, and so whoever gets a chance, like a lot of youngsters, are playing this tournament. I think they should learn from him to get confident and keep winning matches,” he said.
For Rizvi, it was another chapter in his career, which has been both rapid and impactful. Chennai Super Kings paid Rs 8.40 crore for him at the 2024 auction. The investment did not pay off before Delhi Capitals picked him up for Rs 95 lakh in the 2025 mega auction. As per CricViz, in his first eight IPL innings across both franchises, he averaged 16.3, striking at 118, with a highest score of 39.
But now his last three innings read as: 58 not out, 70 not out, and 90. All unbeaten except the last, each bigger than the one before. He had announced himself to the IPL two seasons ago with a six off his first ball against Rashid Khan. But Saturday's innings against Mumbai Indians suggested the proper introduction of Rizvi’s high-quality batting skills is only now being made, and the long-term picture looks promising for both him and Delhi Capitals.