Delhi Capitals 197 for 5 (Rahul 56, Porel 51, Archer 2-35) beat Rajasthan Royals 193 for 8 (Jurel 53, Parag 51, Sooryavanshi 46, Starc 4-40) by five wickets
Sooryavanshi gives RR flying start
Yashasvi Jaiswal got RR going by hitting Starc for three fours in the opening over. From the other end, Sooryavanshi opened his account with a first-ball six off Ngidi. Ngidi did bounce back by having Jaiswal caught at short third with a slower ball, but there was no stopping Sooryavanshi. Living dangerously, he hit debutant offspinner T Vijay for three fours and a six in the fifth over. Dhruv Jurel joined the festivities by hitting Mukesh Kumar for 4, 6, 4 off successive balls in the sixth over as RR ended the powerplay on 75 for 1.
Parag’s fastest IPL fifty
Sooryavanshi was eventually caught at long-on off Tiwari but Parag ensured the momentum wasn’t lost. After hitting Axar for two sixes in three balls, he went 6, 4, 6, 6 against Mukesh in a 23-run 12th over, after which RR were 140 for 2. Soon after, Parag reached his ninth IPL fifty. Coming off just 23 balls, it was his fastest.
Starc brings back DC
In search of wickets, Axar returned to Starc for the 15th over, and the seamer didn’t disappoint his captain. With a slower ball, he had Parag caught at long-on. Donovan Ferreira lasted just one ball, also getting caught at long-on. Ravi Singh flicked the hat-trick ball, a full toss for four, but Starc had him lbw off the next ball. It was once again a slower ball. Ravi was way too early into the shot, and even the DRS couldn’t save him.
When Tiwari dismissed Shubham Dubey in the 17th over, RR decided to bring in Dasun Shanaka as their Impact Player. Starc removed him as well with the penultimate ball of his spell. It was a low full toss from around the wicket. Shanaka tried to go big but was caught at long-off. Despite Jurel scoring 53 off 40, RR fell seven short of 200.
Rahul, Porel give DC their best powerplay of IPL 2026
Jofra Archer could have had another first-over wicket when Rahul, yet to open his account, flicked him to short fine leg. But Yash Raj Punja dropped an easy catch. After that, Rahul and Porel picked up regular boundaries, with Porel leading the way. The pair took the side to 72 for no loss after six overs. This was DC’s best powerplay of the season, bettering their 70 for no loss in the reverse fixture.
The slowdown
DC were 85 for no loss after seven overs. The next seven overs, though, brought only 45 runs. Punja triggered the slowdown with a four-run over. It was also the first boundary-less over of the innings.
Porel brought up his fifty off 29 balls but fell soon after. Trying to take on Brijesh Sharma, he was caught at long-on. Rahul had the same fate. He chopped Shanaka onto his stumps for 56 off 42 balls. Punja conceded only 29 from his four but Axar kept DC in the hunt with a boundary here and there. After 14 overs, they were 130 for 2, needing 64 from the remaining six.
Axar, Ashutosh take DC home
Archer pegged DC back in the 17th over, conceding only eight and dismissing Tristan Stubbs. It left them needing 35 from three overs. With two left-hand batters – Axar and David Miller – in the middle, Parag went with Ferreira’s offspin over Shanaka’s military medium. The move backfired as Axar and Miller hit a six each in a 16-run over. Brijesh gave RR some hope by removing Miller with the first ball of the 19th but Ashutosh heaved the second ball he faced over deep midwicket for a six. With seven needed from the final over, Ashutosh hit a four and a six to finish the game.
Hemant Brar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
