Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals Timeline

Introduction: A Rivalry Built Over Four IPL Seasons

The Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals timeline is one of the most intriguing emerging storylines in the Indian Premier League. Since LSG made their much-anticipated IPL debut in 2022, every clash between these two north Indian franchises has delivered high-voltage cricket, dramatic finishes, and a gradual power shift that has kept fans on the edge of their seats.

What makes this rivalry uniquely compelling in 2025 and beyond is the storyline layered beneath the cricket itself. Former DC captain and fan favourite Rishabh Pant — the most expensive player in IPL auction history at ₹27 crore — now leads Lucknow Super Giants. Meanwhile, his former lieutenant Axar Patel captains the Delhi Capitals, and ex-LSG skipper KL Rahul has switched allegiances to Delhi. The personal narratives woven into this fixture elevate it far beyond a standard league match.

This complete guide covers every match in the LSG vs DC head-to-head record, all key statistics, venue-wise performance, standout players, and what the rivalry looks like heading into IPL 2026.

Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals: Head-to-Head Overview

Before diving into the match-by-match breakdown, here is the bird’s-eye view of the DC vs LSG head-to-head record across all IPL seasons.

As of the end of IPL 2025, the two sides have met seven times in the Indian Premier League. Delhi Capitals lead the overall head-to-head with 4 wins to LSG’s 3, but the story behind those numbers is far richer than the tally suggests. Lucknow dominated the early years of the rivalry, winning the first three encounters convincingly. Delhi then engineered a stunning comeback, winning four of the last four meetings, including both fixtures in IPL 2025.

All-time H2H summary:

• Total Matches: 7
• Delhi Capitals Wins: 4
• Lucknow Super Giants Wins: 3
• Leading Run Scorer (LSG): Nicholas Pooran – 172 runs (SR: 217.72)
• Leading Run Scorer (DC): Tristan Stubbs – 106 runs
• Leading Wicket-Taker (LSG): Ravi Bishnoi – 10 wickets
• Leading Wicket-Taker (DC): Kuldeep Yadav – 9 wickets

Year-by-Year Breakdown: The Complete LSG vs DC Timeline

IPL 2022 — LSG’s Dominant Debut Against Delhi

When Lucknow Super Giants joined the IPL fold in 2022 alongside Gujarat Titans, few anticipated just how quickly they would impose themselves on established franchises. In their first-ever clash against Delhi Capitals, LSG set the tone for what would become three years of dominance.

• Match 1 – April 7, 2022 | Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai: LSG chased down DC’s competitive total of 149/3 in a composed six-wicket victory. Quinton de Kock’s half-century anchored the run chase, while KL Rahul’s captaincy proved tactically astute in the field. Final score: LSG 155/4 beat DC 149/3 by 6 wickets.
• Match 2 – IPL 2022 | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai: The reverse fixture proved even more one-sided in LSG’s favour. Lucknow posted a formidable 195/3, powered by KL Rahul’s commanding unbeaten knock and a blazing 52 off 34 balls from Deepak Hooda. Despite Shardul Thakur claiming three wickets to give Delhi a late lifeline, the Capitals fell six runs short. Final: LSG 195/3 beat DC (189) by 6 runs.

By the end of IPL 2022, LSG led the head-to-head 2-0, with their debut season finishing impressively in third place on the points table — though they ultimately fell at the Eliminator stage.

IPL 2023 — LSG Make It Three in a Row

The 2023 season produced only one LSG vs DC encounter, but it was a comprehensive statement from Lucknow.

• Match 3 – IPL 2023 | BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow: Kyle Mayers provided a stunning exhibition of T20 batting, smashing 73 runs off just 38 balls with seven sixes to help LSG post 193/6. Delhi’s chase never found momentum. English pace enforcer Mark Wood then produced a devastating five-wicket haul to dismiss Delhi Capitals for 143/9 — a 50-run defeat. LSG’s home ground had proven to be an impregnable fortress against their northern rivals.

Head-to-head now stood at LSG 3–0 DC.

IPL 2024 — Delhi’s Comeback Begins

IPL 2024 marked the turning point in the entire Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals timeline. Under the captaincy of Rishabh Pant for DC and KL Rahul leading LSG, the rivalry took a personal dimension — and Delhi seized the moment with both hands.

• Match 4 – April 12, 2024 | BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow: LSG posted 167/7 in their allotted 20 overs, with Ayush Badoni top-scoring with 55 off 35 balls. But Delhi’s Jake Fraser-McGurk had other ideas. The young Australian opener blazed 55 off 35 balls to set up a confident six-wicket chase, with Kuldeep Yadav restricting LSG to a below-par total with 2/23. DC won by 6 wickets — ending LSG’s perfect record in this fixture.
• Match 5 – May 14, 2024 | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi: The home match was a crucial one for DC, who were fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive. In what became one of the most competitive DC vs LSG contests to that point, Delhi won again — making it 2-0 in the season and pulling the overall record level at 3-3. Abhishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs contributed half-centuries to set LSG a target of 208, and despite Nicholas Pooran’s fireworks and a half-century from Arshad Khan, LSG fell 19 runs short.

Head-to-head now level: 3–3.

IPL 2025 — Delhi Take the Lead; The Pant-Rahul Subplot

IPL 2025 introduced an entirely new narrative layer. In the most dramatic personnel swap the rivalry has seen, Rishabh Pant — who had led DC and become the face of the franchise — was bought by Lucknow Super Giants for a record-shattering ₹27 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Almost simultaneously, former LSG captain KL Rahul joined the Delhi Capitals. Two franchise legends had literally crossed each other.

• Match 6 – March 24, 2025 | Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam (Match 4, IPL 2025): This was a match that had everything. LSG, in their new avatar under Rishabh Pant’s captaincy, posted 209/8 in 20 overs. Nicholas Pooran produced another typically explosive contribution with 75 off just 30 balls at the Vizag venue. Delhi needed 210 to win — and they pulled it off in extraordinary fashion. Ashutosh Sharma played a match-defining cameo in the death overs, with DC winning by 1 wicket and with just 3 balls to spare. Fans across social media likened KL Rahul’s role at DC to “watching your ex become Miss Universe” — a viral moment that captured the emotional electricity of this fixture.
• Match 7 – April 22, 2025 | BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow (Match 40, IPL 2025): With both teams locked at 10 points each heading into this game, the stakes were as high as they had ever been in the LSG vs DC rivalry. LSG were seeking revenge on home soil; DC were looking to make it a perfect 3-0 season sweep. The Ekana Stadium, long a fortress for LSG, created a tense atmosphere for what proved to be another enthralling contest. DC’s depth of batting — featuring Axar Patel, KL Rahul at the top, and dangerous finishers throughout — tested LSG once again. Commentators hailed Shardul Thakur’s bowling in the powerplay as one of the standout opening spells of the season.

By the end of IPL 2025, DC led the all-time head-to-head 4–3, having won four successive matches against LSG.

Venue-by-Venue Analysis: Where the Battles Were Won

Understanding the LSG vs DC rivalry requires examining venue performance, as both sides have played across multiple stadiums.

• BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow: Three matches played here; DC won two of them. Contrary to what you’d expect, Delhi have been the more dominant side even in Lucknow’s backyard, a fact that will frustrate the home supporters greatly.
• Neutral venues (Mumbai, Wankhede, DY Patil): LSG dominated the early encounters on neutral turf, capitalising on de Kock and Rahul’s consistency at the top of the order.
• Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi: DC won their lone home fixture against LSG in IPL 2024, suggesting the capital’s own ground offers them a meaningful edge.
• Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium, Visakhapatnam: DC’s second home venue, hosted LSG for the first time in IPL 2025, and DC delivered a nervy 1-wicket thriller to maintain their winning momentum.

Key Players Who Defined the LSG vs DC Rivalry

1. Nicholas Pooran (LSG) — The most destructive batter in this fixture’s history. With 172 runs at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 217.72, Pooran has consistently threatened DC’s bowling attack, including a stunning 75 off 30 at Vizag in 2025.
2. Ravi Bishnoi (LSG) — The wrist spinner has been LSG’s most effective bowler against DC, picking up 10 wickets across the head-to-head matches. His ability to deceive both left and right-handers in the powerplay and middle overs has repeatedly put DC under pressure.
3. Kuldeep Yadav (DC) — DC’s trump card against LSG with 9 wickets. Kuldeep’s left-arm wrist spin in the middle overs has proved difficult to read, particularly for LSG’s aggressive batting lineup.
4. Tristan Stubbs (DC) — The South African finisher leads DC’s run-scoring charts in this fixture with 106 runs, consistently delivering when it matters most in the middle and lower-middle order.
5. Jake Fraser-McGurk (DC) — The young Australian’s 55 off 35 in IPL 2024 at Ekana was the innings that broke LSG’s head-to-head stranglehold and opened a new chapter in DC’s rivalry story.
6. KL Rahul — The ultimate subplot. As LSG captain, Rahul compiled consistent runs and anchored their batting for three dominant wins. Now at DC, his knowledge of LSG’s strengths and weaknesses makes him arguably the most strategically significant player in this rivalry.

IPL 2026 Outlook: What’s Next for LSG vs DC?

Looking ahead to IPL 2026, the rivalry shows no signs of losing its intensity. The retention landscape ahead of IPL 2026 saw significant activity, with both franchises recalibrating their squads. Lucknow Super Giants will be eager to redress the balance — their 4-3 deficit represents unfinished business for Rishabh Pant’s side.

For Delhi Capitals, continuity under Axar Patel’s captaincy and the seasoned influence of KL Rahul at the top give them a settled, experienced foundation. Their four consecutive wins against LSG have injected confidence throughout the franchise.

The broader storyline for IPL 2026 involves whether Rishabh Pant — arguably the most followed Indian cricketer on social media — can inspire LSG to their maiden IPL title while simultaneously reclaiming the head-to-head advantage over his former club. Few fixtures on the calendar carry that kind of psychological weight.

LSG vs DC: Statistics Snapshot (2022–2025)

How many times have LSG and DC played in IPL?

LSG and DC have played 7 matches in the IPL as of IPL 2025.

Who leads the LSG vs DC head-to-head record?

Delhi Capitals lead 4–3 as of the end of IPL 2025.

Who is the highest run-scorer in LSG vs DC matches?

Nicholas Pooran leads for LSG with 172 runs at a strike rate of over 217. Tristan Stubbs leads for DC with 106 runs.

Who has taken the most wickets in DC vs LSG matches?

Ravi Bishnoi leads for LSG with 10 wickets; Kuldeep Yadav leads for DC with 9 wickets.

Who is LSG’s captain in IPL 2025?

Rishabh Pant, who was bought for a record ₹27 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Who is DC’s captain in IPL 2025?

Axar Patel captains the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025.

Has LSG ever won the IPL title?

No. As of 2025, Lucknow Super Giants have not won the IPL title. They have reached the Eliminator (2022) and the Qualifier stages, but have yet to lift the trophy.