Sameer Rizvi: UP boy who tightened screws on Lucknow Super Giants | Cricket News

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh’s Sameer Rizvi turned the spotlight on himself with a composed and commanding knock that steered Delhi Capitals to a consummate win over Lucknow SuperGiants at Ekana on Wednesday.The Meerut-born batter walked in at No. 4 with DC under pressure at 21/2 in a chase of 142. The situation became even more tense almost immediately as Delhi slipped to 26/4 within six deliveries of his arrival, with LSG’s fast bowlers striking hard and tightening their grip on the contest.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In a difficult phase, Rizvi showed maturity beyond his years. Calm against pace, assured in his strokeplay and clear in his approach, he rebuilt the innings with a knock that shifted momentum back towards Delhi. On a surface he understands well, Rizvi judged conditions smartly and paced his innings with control, turning a shaky chase into a manageable one.The effort was another reminder of why Delhi Capitals showed faith in him by retaining him for Rs 95 lakh ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. Rizvi has built a strong reputation in the T20 format, especially through his prolific run in the UP T20 League, where he smashed 491 runs in 10 matches to finish as the tournament’s highest run-scorer.The right-hander’s familiarity with Ekana conditions was evident throughout his innings. He looked comfortable against both seam and spin, picked his moments well and played with the confidence of a batter who knew exactly how the pitch would behave.Rizvi’s rise has also been backed by solid domestic numbers. In the Col CK Nayudu Trophy, he scored 678 runs in seven matches and finished 16th among the leading run-getters in the country. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he added 238 runs in eight matches including two fifties. He also scored 191 runs in seven matches in the 2025-26 season.For Delhi Capitals, Rizvi’s innings was not just a rescue act but a statement of his growing value in the side. For the local crowd in Lucknow, it was the homegrown talent who became the biggest attraction of the night.On batting at No. 4 on Wednesday, Rizvi revealed that he has batted at the position in the UPT20 league. “I am comfortable batting at No 4. I wanted to bat at the spot and the coach had told me earlier that I would come in at No 4 and that they would back me,” he said, “He asked me to play my natural game and stay positive.”“When I went in today, my intent was to play positively. But when we lost wickets quickly and were four down around 24 to 26, it kind of became a tough situation. I spoke to Tristan Stubbs and we felt that we still had a lot of overs left, so we didn’t need to rush,” explained Rizvi.“There was some swing and seam movement and the bowlers were on top initially, so we decided to take some time, understand the wicket and build the innings. The plan was simple: Once we got set, we would capitalise on the loose balls and play our shots.” he said.On a favoured batting position, freedom and mindset, Rizvi said, “It gives me a lot of confidence. Whenever I play for UP in domestic cricket or in the UPT20, I bat at No. 4. I’m quite comfortable in that role. Getting an opportunity to play in the IPL is really exciting for me. It gives me the freedom to play my game the way I want. When I’m batting in my usual position, I feel more settled and confident,” he said.On home conditions and adapting to the wicket, Rizvi said, “The wicket was a bit sticky and there was movement for the fast bowlers, so it was not easy for batters early on. It was important to spend some time in the middle before playing freely.”“We didn’t get many boundaries early on, and I had faced around 12–13 balls without one. Then I got a loose delivery, and I felt it was there to be put away. I managed to get a boundary off it, and that gave me a lot of confidence,” he said, on finding his first boundary off Anrich Nortje.“As a batter, when you’re a bit quiet for the first 10–12 balls, that one boundary really helps you settle. It was the same for me. After that, I could relax and just play my natural game.” he saidThis is Rizvi’s second fifty for Delhi Capitas. “The focus was on taking the game deep and staying in the moment. Winning a full 20 over match like this feels very different compared to finishing a game in one over. Both situations are different, and I really enjoyed this innings because of the context,” he said.He added, “I haven’t played too many innings in the IPL so far, so consistency is something I want to work on. This was my first innings of the season, and I will look to build from here and perform consistently in the upcoming matches.”