Delhi Capitals (DC) finally returned to winning ways as they crushed Rajasthan Royals (RR) by seven wickets in their IPL 2026 clash at the Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh stadium on May 1.
Batting first RR rode on Riyan Parag's handsome 90 to post a huge total of 225/6. In reply, DC pulled off the chase with five balls to spare, thanks to KL Rahul's 40-ball 75 and Pathum Nissanka's 33-ball 62. This was DC's highest-ever run-chase in IPL history.
DC pull off highest-ever chase against RR
Delhi’s pursuit began with an electric 102-run opening stand between Rahul and Nissanka, which came in less than ten overs. Though Rahul started cautiously, the 34-year-old soon found his rhythm, unleashing a suite of sublime shots that included imperious drives and back-to-back sixes. Nissanka was equally effective, particularly with the pull shot, which he used to clear the ropes three times before falling to Ravindra Jadeja while attempting a reverse sweep.
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KL Rahul-Pathum Nissanka's heroics in DC's win
Despite the loss of Nissanka, the momentum stayed with the Capitals as Rahul continued his charge alongside Nitish Rana. The pair added 61 runs, with Rahul reaching his half-century in just 27 deliveries. However, a brief wobble occurred when both set batters were dismissed within the space of six balls, leaving Delhi needing 49 runs from the final 26 deliveries.
The pressure was handled expertly by Ashutosh Sharma and Tristan Stubbs, who navigated the closing stages to seal the historic win. For the Royals, captain Parag was forced to watch much of the second innings from the dugout due to a hamstring niggle, leaving Yashasvi Jaiswal to handle the on-field leadership. With this result, Delhi Capitals climb to sixth place with eight points, while the Royals remain in fourth with 12 points.
Riyan Parag's 90 goes in vain, Mitchell Starc shines bright
Earlier, RR set a formidable target of 226 for DC, finishing their innings at a commanding 225/6. The massive total was built on the back of a composed 90 from captain Riyan Parag and a late-innings blitz by Donovan Ferreira, whose explosive cameo provided the perfect finish for the home side.
The innings began with immediate drama as Yashasvi Jaiswal launched the first ball of the match for six, only to be dismissed by Mitchell Starc just two balls later. The Royals were soon reeling at 12/2 within the first two overs after Kyle Jamieson claimed the wicket of the young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, putting the pressure squarely on the middle order.
A crucial recovery followed as Riyan Parag joined forces with Dhruv Jurel for a 102-run partnership. While Jurel played a steadying hand with 42 off 30 balls, Parag led the charge, reaching his first half-century of the 2026 season in just 32 deliveries. The partnership eventually broke when the Delhi skipper dismissed Jurel, bringing Ravindra Jadeja into the middle.
Delhi looked to claw their way back when Mitchell Starc returned to remove both Jadeja and a well-set Parag in the 17th over, with the latter departing for a brilliant 90 that included eight boundaries and five sixes. However, any hopes DC had of restricting the total were dashed by Donovan Ferreira. The powerful finisher hammered 47 runs off a mere 14 balls, including a trio of sixes off Kuldeep Yadav and an expensive 17-run over against Starc.
Despite T. Natarajan picking up the wicket of Shubham Dubey at the start of the 20th over, Ferreira remained unstoppable, looting 18 runs from the final set of deliveries to push the score well past 200. Mitchell Starc was the pick of the bowlers in his season debut with three wickets, while Jamieson, Axar Patel, and Natarajan each chipped in with one apiece.