An incredible all-round display from the Delhi Capitals (DC) saw them successfully chase down a daunting target of 194 against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 62 of the TATA IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.
A vintage, game-changing four-wicket haul from Mitchell Starc dismantled the Royals’ middle order, while a commanding 105-run opening stand between Abishek Porel and KL Rahul laid a flawless foundation for the hosts to cross the finish line with 5 wickets and 4 balls to spare.
Match Summary
Rajasthan Royals (RR): 193/8 in 20 overs
Delhi Capitals (DC): 197/5 in 19.2 overs
Result: Delhi Capitals won by 5 wickets
Player of the Match: Mitchell Starc (4/40)
First Innings: Starc’s Triple-Wicket Storm Triggers Dramatic RR Collapse
After DC skipper Axar Patel won the toss and elected to bowl first, the Rajasthan Royals came out intent on posting a mammoth total. Despite losing Yashasvi Jaiswal (12) early to Lungi Ngidi (2/24), teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi unleashed an absolute blitzkrieg. He hammered a rapid 46 off just 21 deliveries, catapulting the Royals to 75/1 within the Powerplay.
Following Sooryavanshi’s departure, Dhruv Jurel and captain Riyan Parag took total control of the narrative. Jurel anchored the innings with a gritty 53 off 40 balls, reaching his 1,000th IPL run for the franchise, while Parag played a spectacular, fiery knock of 51 off 26 deliveries, punctuated by 5 massive sixes. The duo stitched together a crucial 72-run partnership.
Sitting comfortably at 160/2 after 14 overs, RR looked effortlessly poised to cross the 220-run mark. Enter Mitchell Starc.
The veteran Australian speedster turned the match completely on its head in a dramatic 15th over. Starc claimed three wickets in a single over, sending back a dangerous Parag and Donovan Ferreira on consecutive deliveries, followed by Ravi Singh. Supported beautifully by young breakout spinner Madhav Tiwari (2/27), DC choked the opposition entirely. The Royals suffered a massive collapse, losing 6 wickets for just 33 runs in the final 6 overs to finish on 193/8.
Second Innings: Porel, Rahul, and Ashutosh Complete Clinical Chase
Chasing 194, Delhi Capitals capitalized fully on the momentum shift. Openers Abishek Porel and KL Rahul took the game away from the Royals early with a blistering 105-run opening partnership in just 10.1 overs. Porel smashed a fiery 51 off 31 balls (7 fours, 1 six), while Rahul anchored the chase beautifully with a classy 56 off 42 balls.
Turning Point: Though RR found a brief window of opportunity with Jofra Archer (2/35) and Brijesh Sharma (2/44) chipping away at the middle order to force a minor slowdown, a costly 16-run over from part-timer Donovan Ferreira relieved all pressure on DC.
With 7 runs needed off the final over, it was left-hander Ashutosh Sharma who provided the closing fireworks. Smashed against Adam Milne, Ashutosh hit a boundary down the ground before sealing the sensational victory with a towering six over the leg side. Axar Patel remained unbeaten with a quickfire 34 off 18 balls to guide his side home.
