IPL2026 : Delhi Capitals Stay Alive With Gritty Victory Over Rajasthan Royals

 

Delhi Capitals kept their IPL play-off hopes alive with a hard-fought five-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals at home on Sunday. Just when it seemed Delhi might squander a strong start, composed half-centuries from Abishek Porel and KL Rahul, followed by a calm finishing act from captain Axar Patel, guided them over the line.

The victory took Delhi to 12 points from 13 matches, helping them move above Kolkata Knight Riders in the standings. Rajasthan, meanwhile, remained sixth with 12 points from 12 games.

Vaibhav, Riyan Shine Before Rajasthan Collapse

Asked to bat first after losing the toss, Rajasthan suffered an early setback when Yashasvi Jaiswal departed for 12 in the second over. Young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel then rebuilt the innings with an impressive 70-run partnership.

Vaibhav played the aggressor’s role brilliantly, smashing 46 off just 21 deliveries with five boundaries and three towering sixes. He narrowly missed a well-deserved half-century but once again showcased his fearless strokeplay.

At number four, Riyan Parag produced one of his finest knocks of the season. Under scrutiny for much of the tournament, Riyan answered his critics in emphatic style with a breathtaking counterattack. He dominated the Delhi bowlers with a flurry of powerful strokes, while Jurel provided excellent support at the other end.

The pair added 72 runs for the third wicket, with Riyan blasting 51 runs in the partnership alone. His explosive innings included three fours and five sixes and completely shifted the momentum towards Rajasthan.

However, Rajasthan’s innings unravelled dramatically after Riyan’s dismissal. Donovan Ferreira, Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey and Dasun Shanaka all failed to make meaningful contributions as Starc took 3 wickets in an over . Jurel fought on for a valuable 53, but Rajasthan lost six wickets in quick succession after reaching 161 for 2 and failed to cross the 200-run mark. 192 in 20 overs is a fighting total at best . For Delhi  Mitchell Starc took 4 wickets in another impressive performance. 

Abishek Porel’s Promotion Pays Off For Delhi

Delhi approached the chase with remarkable confidence. Instead of opening with Pathum Nissanka alongside Rahul, they promoted local batter Abishek Porel from Chandannagar — and the move proved inspired.

Porel grabbed his opportunity with both hands. Having received limited chances earlier in the tournament, the young left-hander finally got time at the crease and responded with an innings full of intent and authority. From the very beginning, Delhi’s openers dominated the Rajasthan attack.

With the target manageable, both batters maintained a scoring rate above ten runs an over. Porel struck a fluent 51 off 31 balls, decorated with seven fours and a six, before departing after providing the ideal platform.

Delhi also tried youngster Sahil Parakh at number three, but he could manage only nine runs. After Porel’s dismissal, Delhi’s innings briefly lost momentum, with the side scoring only 30 runs across five overs.

Middle-order batters Tristan Stubbs and David Miller failed to make an impact, adding some tension to the chase.

But in the closing stages, Ashutosh Sharma played a lively unbeaten cameo of 18, while Axar remained composed with an unbeaten 34 to steer Delhi home and keep their IPL campaign alive. Starc was the player of the match .