Delhi Capitals (DC) cruised past Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 7 wickets in a high-scoring 43rd match of IPL 2026 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. After being asked to bat first, Rajasthan Royals posted a massive total of 225/6 in 20 overs.
After losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi early, Riyan Parag played a superb knock of 90 runs off 50 balls. He stitched a 102-run partnership with Dhruv Jurel for the third wicket and then added another 53 runs for the fourth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja. When Parag was dismissed in the 17th over, RR were at 168/5 in 16.4 overs. A blazing unbeaten knock of 47 off just 14 balls by Donovan Ferreira pushed Rajasthan Royals to the 225-run mark. Mitchell Starc (3/40 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for Delhi Capitals.
In reply, Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul gave Delhi Capitals a flying start, adding 110 runs for the first wicket in just 9.4 overs. After Nissanka was dismissed in the 10th over, Rahul added another 61 runs for the second wicket in the next 30 deliveries, bringing DC close to the target.
Although KL Rahul and Nitish Rana fell in successive overs, Ashutosh Sharma and Tristan Stubbs calmly completed the chase with five balls to spare. Ravindra Jadeja (1/33 in 3 overs) was the most successful bowler for Rajasthan Royals.
With this win, Delhi Capitals returned to winning ways and earned two crucial points, while Rajasthan Royals remained in fourth place with 12 points.
Early Trouble Before Late Recovery
RR did not start well. The ball moved early, and they slipped to 36 for 2 in five overs. At that stage, building a big total looked difficult. However, Riyan Parag steadied the innings. He handled the challenging conditions early and later attacked freely. He scored a brilliant 90 off 50 balls.
At the end, Donovan Ferreira played a crucial cameo. He smashed 47* off just 14 balls, hitting even yorkers for sixes. His late hitting helped RR reach one of their best finishes in the Impact Player era.
DC Bowlers Keep Things Under Control
Despite RR’s strong finish, Delhi Capitals bowlers did well enough to stay in the game. Mitchell Starc, who returned to the side, led the attack with three wickets. His effort ensured that RR did not completely run away with the game.
Missed Starc vs Sooryavanshi Moment
The toss decision also created excitement about a possible contest between Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Starc. Sooryavanshi had earlier impressed with aggressive starts against top bowlers. However, the expected battle did not happen.
Yashasvi Jaiswal faced Starc instead and hit a six on the first ball. Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi got out to a yorker from Kyle Jamieson without facing Starc.
Parag Anchors, Ferreira Explodes
Parag continued to hold the innings together despite losing partners. He kept the scoring rate steady, even though it did not look like a match-winning effort at that stage.
Later, RR used Ravindra Jadeja in a tactical role. He shielded Ferreira from Kuldeep Yadav, against whom Ferreira had struggled earlier.
This plan worked perfectly. Ferreira attacked Kuldeep and smashed three sixes, even off well-executed deliveries. By staying deep in the crease and using strong base movement, he powered RR to a competitive total.
Pitch Changes in the Second Innings
During the chase, conditions improved significantly. The pitch became easier for batting, and the ball came onto the bat better. As a result, RR’s bowlers, including Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, could not get the same help as earlier.
DC Batters Dominate the Chase
Delhi Capitals started strongly. Pathum Nissanka attacked from the beginning and scored 52 off 26 balls in the powerplay. After that, KL Rahul took control in the middle overs. He scored quickly and handled the spinners comfortably.
RR’s bowlers struggled to create pressure. Even their key spinner, Ravi Bishnoi, could not make an impact.
Rana Finishes the Job Calmly
Although DC lost a couple of wickets, they were already in a strong position. Nitish Rana then ensured there were no late problems. He scored 33 off 17 balls and kept the chase on track.
By the time the final phase arrived, DC needed just 49 runs from 28 balls. Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma calmly finished the game without any trouble.
Easy Win for DC
In the end, Delhi Capitals completed their highest successful chase with ease. They never looked under pressure and controlled the game throughout the chase.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals once again failed to defend a big total in Jaipur, raising serious questions about their strategy.
Rajasthan Royals faced a familiar situation in Jaipur. In their previous match at this venue, they batted first, scored around 230, but failed to defend it. On Friday, against Delhi Capitals, the same pattern repeated. RR won the toss, chose to bat first, and again posted a total close to 230. However, just like before, they never looked in control while defending it.
Interestingly, between these two games, RR had successfully chased a similar target themselves. Therefore, their decision to bat first raised questions once again. Stay tuned with JUSZNEWS for regular updates!