IPL 2026 DC vs RR | Starc’s mastery and batters’ fine show keep Capitals in the hunt

It was a night of momentum swings and ruthless execution. Rajasthan Royals unleashed chaos through Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel, but Mitchell Starc slammed the brakes in the nick of time.

A resolute team effort then helped Delhi Capitals stay alive in IPL 2026 with a five-wicket win as the home team chased down the 194-run target with four balls to spare at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday (May 17, 2026).

Delhi then made the chase look comfortable for large parts as KL Rahul (56 off 42) and Abishek Porel (51 off 31) laid the perfect platform with a 105-run opening stand in just 10.1 overs.

While Porel attacked from the outset with seven fours and a six, Rahul paced his innings smartly before falling to Dasun Shanaka.

Sahil Parakh chipped in with a quick 9 before skipper Axar Patel provided the finishing flourish with an unbeaten 34 off 18 balls, striking two fours and two sixes.

Despite Jofra Archer removing Tristan Stubbs and Brijesh Sharma getting rid of David Miller in the latter stages, Ashutosh Sharma’s unbeaten 18 off just five balls sealed the chase in 19.2 overs.

Asked to bat, all eyes were on the out-of-form Yashasvi Jaiswal. The southpaw began with intent, smacking Starc for three crisp boundaries. But his stay ended soon after, when Lungi Ngidi outfoxed him with a well-disguised slower ball, which he top-edged to Starc at short third man.

Jaiswal’s opening partner Sooryavanshi began his vigil with a six for the sixth time this season.

After handing Jurel and Sooryavanshi early lifelines, Madhav Tiwari scooped up the latter as the left-hander miscued a slower one with David Miller covering 24 meters to his right to pull off a diving catch at long-on.

DC’s fielding woes then resurfaced to let control slip. Tristan Stubbs failed to get his fingers under the ball at long-on after Parag’s tennis forehand-like swipe — the side’s 22nd dropped catch of the campaign.

The consequences were instant. Parag tore into Axar Patel with a pair of towering sixes before taking apart Mukesh Kumar for 23 runs, racing to a 23-ball half-century. Starc then pegged Royals back, dismissing Parag, Donovan Ferreira, and Ravi Singh in quick succession, triggering a drop in the run rate which even a fighting Jurel couldn’t help.

In response, Abishek Porel and K.L. Rahul powered the Capitals to 72 without loss by the end of the PowerPlay.

While their 105-run stand ended when Porel fell to Brijesh Sharma, Rahul continued serenely, bringing up his ninth half-century against Royals. Dasun Shanaka was, thus, understandably animated when Rahul chopped one onto the stumps.

With 41 needed off 23 balls, Jofra Archer removed Stubbs to leave the match in the balance. However, Axar and Ashutosh Sharma counterpunched and helped DC finish its home campaign on a high.