Punjab Kings (PBKS) cruised past Delhi Capitals (DC) by six wickets in the 35th match of IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. This marked the highest successful chase in IPL history.
After being decided to bat first, Delhi Capitals posted a massive total of 264/2 in 20 overs. KL Rahul and Nitish Rana added a blazing 220 runs for the second wicket, the second-highest partnership in IPL history. Rahul remained unbeaten on 152, while Rana scored 91 off 44 balls. Arshdeep Singh (1/49 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for Punjab Kings, while Xavier Bartlett picked up one wicket.
In reply, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave Punjab Kings a flying start. They added a rapid 126 runs for the first wicket in just 6.5 overs. Punjab Kings raced to 116/0 in the powerplay, the second-highest powerplay total in IPL history.
Axar Patel (1/44 in 4 overs) dismissed Arya in the seventh over. Soon after, Kuldeep Yadav (2/46 in 4 overs) removed Prabhsimran in the eighth over and Cooper Connolly in the 10th, bringing Delhi Capitals back into the contest. Then, Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera added 56 runs for the third wicket. Vipraj Nigam dismissed Wadhera in the 15th over. At that stage, Punjab Kings were 201/4 and needed 64 runs from 33 balls.
After that, Iyer took control and played a captain’s knock. Shashank Singh supported him well. Punjab Kings completed the record chase with seven balls to spare. With this win, Punjab Kings moved to the top of the points table with 13 points and remain unbeaten in the tournament.
Missed chances hurt PBKS early
Earlier in the match, PBKS missed key opportunities in the field. Shashank Singh dropped KL Rahul when he was on just 12. The ball slipped through his hands at deep square leg and went for a boundary.
He also misfielded later in the powerplay, allowing extra runs. By the end of six overs, Delhi Capitals had raced to 68 for 1, their best powerplay score of the season.
Rahul and Rana dominate innings
After that, Rahul and Nitish Rana took control of the innings. Rahul maintained a high scoring rate throughout and reached his fifty in just 26 balls.
He continued attacking, eventually bringing up his fastest IPL century in 47 balls. He celebrated by crossing his arms in an ‘X’ shape, drawing loud cheers from the crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Rana also played aggressively and scored 91 off 44 balls. The pair added a massive 220-run partnership, the highest for Delhi Capitals. Rana’s innings included a brutal assault where he hit 44 runs in just 11 balls, including a 28-run over.
Rahul accelerated further towards the end. He moved from 100 to 150 in just 19 balls and became the first Indian to score 150 or more in the IPL. He remained unbeaten and powered DC to their highest total.
Openers light up the chase
In response, PBKS openers made an immediate impact. Arya and Prabhsimran attacked from the first over. Arya started with a six, while Prabhsimran dominated the final over of the powerplay with multiple boundaries.
PBKS reached 116 without loss in six overs, the second-highest powerplay score in IPL history.
DC fight back briefly
However, Delhi Capitals made a comeback through spin. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav removed both openers in quick succession. Kuldeep struck again to dismiss Cooper Connolly, leaving PBKS at 145 for 3 in 10 overs.
This briefly brought DC back into the contest.
Shreyas seals the game
Finally, Shreyas Iyer took full control of the chase. He attacked the bowlers with confidence and handled the pressure calmly.
He survived two dropped catches during his innings, but he made the most of those chances. He quickly shifted momentum by hitting consecutive boundaries and sixes.
He reached his half-century in just 26 balls and continued his aggressive approach. Along with Shashank Singh, he guided PBKS to victory with more than an over remaining.
Brief Scorecard
