RR vs DC IPL 2026 Highlights: KL Rahul, Starc Lead Delhi Capitals to Dominant 7-Wicket Victory
Delhi Capitals made a strong comeback at Sawai Mansingh Stadium. They had earlier scored 264 against Punjab Kings but couldn’t defend it, and then were all out for just 75 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Now, they bounced back in style, played a great innings, and shocked Rajasthan Royals at their home ground with a 7-wicket win. It was also their highest successful run chase in IPL history. Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul had to give DC a flying start in pursuit of 226. The two stylish right-handers went hammer and tongs, adding 70 runs in the powerplay and 110 for the first wicket inside the halfway mark to set a solid base for the run chase.
Delhi Capitals seal record chase vs Rajasthan Royals, KL Rahul & Pathum Nissanka shine
Nissanka was the aggressor for the majority of the partnership, slamming his first fifty in the IPL and clubbing a classy 62 off 33 balls. At the other end, the Karnataka stalwart took the attack to the bowlers after the field restrictions and covered it well to get the chase under control.
Ravindra Jadeja gave the desperate breakthrough for RR, trapping the Lankan in front, but Rahul got able support from Nitish Rana as the two amassed a quickfire 61-run second wicket stand to take the game away from the Royals.
Rana (33 off 17) and Rahul (75 off 40) were dismissed in quick succession, but with Tristan Stubbs (18* off 11) and Ashutosh Sharma (25* off 15) getting the promotion at the right time, DC cruised home with five balls to spare. RR's bowling didn't turn up tonight, and Riyan Parag's injury didn't help them either. Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger failed to strike with the new ball. Tushar Deshpande was good in his first three overs, but failed to close it out at the death. Brijesh Sharma, Jadeja and Ravi Bishnoi failed to contain runs in the middle phase, summing up their poor outing with the ball.
Earlier in the evening, RR won the toss and opted to bat first. Yashasvi Jaiswal greeted Mitchell Starc, who was returning from the injury and playing his first IPL game of the season, with a six on the first ball of the match, but the Aussie veteran had the last laugh a couple of balls later.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi drilled the first ball to the fence, but Kyle Jamieson knocked him over in the very next delivery of the second over to neutralise the dangerous opening combination of the Royals, reducing them to 12/2.
Dhruv Jurel and Parag steadied the sinking ship with a century partnership. Jurel scored 42 off 30 balls. Parag was in desperate need of runs, and the RR skipper returned to form in fine fashion, scoring a top-class 90 off just 50 balls to silence the critics.
He then had a half-century stand with Ravindra Jadeja, who hit a cameo before Starc dismissed both the set batters to allow DC to pull things back, only for a little while, as Donovan Ferreira then took centre stage, smashing 47 off just 14 balls, thumping 6 maximums and 2 fours.Ferreira's innings allowed RR to post a massive 225/6 in 20 overs. Starc was the star of the show with the ball, finishing with 3/40.
Axar Patel dismissed Jurel, while Kuldeep Yadav was wicketless. A wicket each for Jamieson and Natarajan as well, but they were quite expensive, although their batters then ensured that it didn't cost DC the game.
