The Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on the Delhi Capitals in Match 26 of the 2026 Indian Premier League at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18.
The defending champions have started their 2026 season in dominant fashion, recording four wins in five games, with three at home. They comfortably beat the Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets in a low-scoring game on a sticky wicket in their most recent match and will be looking to extend their dominant run when the Delhi Capitals come visiting. They have been bolstered by the return of Aussie speedster Josh Hazlewood, who picked up the player of the match against LSG.
The Delhi Capitals return from a six-day break after their away loss to the Chennai Super Kings. They started their season with two dominant wins, but have seen their momentum derailed by two losses to the Gujarat Titans and the Chennai Super Kings. They have been unable to dominate games with the bat in the middle overs, losing key wickets and unable to extend the starts in the powerplay. They still await the return of their Aussie speedster Mitchell Starc, who nurses a shoulder injury.
The two teams have played out fantastic clashes over the years. They are two of the more balanced units in the 2026 season, but the Capitals have suffered from recent losses. They will be looking to get back to winning ways when they visit one of the IPL’s most hostile venues.
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru: Pitch report
The Chinnasawamy Stadium is one of the IPL’s regular batting paradises. The the black-soil traditionally flat and even, with the ball coming onto the bat. The small dimensions and fast outfield make scoring runs in boundaries significantly easier. The black-soil wicket provides help for the bowlers in the form of early lateral movement with the new ball. The wicket is also conducive to hit-the-deck bowling due to the spongy nature of black-soil pitches.
The last game against the Lucknow Super Giants saw a significantly slower wicket rolled out for the game. The pitch had much more variable bounce, with the ball not coming onto the bat as easily. The home team was able to manage only 147 in 15.1 overs.
IPL Stats and Records at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
| Matches Played | 103 |
| Matches Won Batting First | 44 |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 55 |
| Matches Won Winning Toss | 55 |
| Matches Won Losing Toss | 44 |
| Matches With No Result | 4 |
| Highest Team Total | 287/3 |
| Lowest Team Total | 82 |
| Average First Innings Total | 167 |
| Highest Total Successfully Chased | 203/4 – RCB |
RCB vs DC: Strategies and Match-ups
The two teams have met each other 33 times in the past, with RCB having a 20-12 lead over the Capitals. The pair met twice in 2025, with the Capitals winning the clash at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. KL Rahul returns to his home ground, where his clinic won the Capitals the game in Bengaluru.
The sides are two of the more balanced units in IPL 2026, and while the Royal Challengers are the dominant force, the Capitals have the chip on their shoulders, having to make a comeback after two losses.
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