Bengaluru, April 18 (NationPress) In match 26 of IPL 2026 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, both the Delhi Capitals and the reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, have retained their squads. The toss was won by the visitors' captain, Axar Patel, who chose to bowl first.

RCB has kicked off their title defense impressively, securing four victories out of five matches, while DC enters this match following a week's hiatus, aiming to snap a two-game losing streak. Axar commented on the pitch, stating, "The wicket seems solid and firm. Given that it's a day match, it might play a bit slower. Chinnaswamy is generally favorable for teams chasing, so we opted to bowl first."

Regarding the extended break in their schedule, Axar reflected, "If you're winning, a break could feel detrimental. However, since we've faced losses in our last two games, this break has been beneficial for regrouping. We are now united and ready to embark on this match with renewed energy. While we are mindful of the opposition, our focus is on maximizing our strengths and adhering to our strategies. We'll implement our plans and see how it unfolds."

Before the toss, RCB's captain, Rajat Patidar, presented a token of appreciation to Axar, as part of the franchise's annual 'Green Initiative' where they donned iconic green jerseys.

"I'm glad to bat first as we intended to set a score on this pitch. It looks promising for a day game. Our goal is to post a substantial total to apply pressure on them. We wear this jersey to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability and to inspire others to adopt eco-friendly choices for our planet," he remarked.

He added, "This year, with a final scheduled at Chinnaswamy, it's crucial for us to win all our home matches."

The conditions at the stadium are hot and dry for this afternoon game, with a gentle breeze and patchy cloud cover. The square boundaries are relatively short at 65 and 64 meters, while the straight boundary measures 73 meters.

Pommie Mbangwa and Faf du Plessis, in their pitch report, noted that the surface resembles the previous match but appears slightly drier with less grass. As it is a day game, the wicket is expected to become slower, bringing spinners into play.

Playing XIs:

Delhi Capitals: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (captain), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Auqib Nabi Dar, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, and Mukesh Kumar

Impact Substitutes: Vipraj Nigam, Ashutosh Sharma, Karun Nair, Dushmantha Chameera, and Nitish Rana

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (captain), Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, and Josh Hazlewood

Impact Substitutes: Rasikh Salam Dar, Venkatesh Iyer, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, and Vicky Ostwal