IPL 2026: DC rewrite record books after win over RR

JAIPUR: Delhi Capitals (DC) produced a dominant batting display to register a thumping seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their IPL 2026 clash at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday. Chasing a daunting 226-run target, DC completed their highest successful run chase in the tournament’s history, surpassing their previous best efforts.

The 226-run chase now stands as their top successful pursuit, ahead of 210 against Lucknow Super Giants in 2025, 209 against Gujarat Lions in 2017, and 207 against Punjab Kings in 2025. The effort also marked the second-highest successful chase against Rajasthan Royals, only behind the 229-run chase achieved by Sunrisers Hyderabad at the same venue earlier this season, underlining the batting-friendly conditions in Jaipur.

The result added to RR’s struggles at home, with the Royals losing six of their last seven matches at the Sawai ManSingh Stadium since 2025. The match also reflected a broader trend in IPL 2026, where high-scoring chases have become increasingly common. While only five successful chases of 220 or more were recorded between 2008 and 2025, the ongoing season alone has already witnessed seven such instances.

Among individual highlights, KL Rahul continued his impressive run in the league, moving to 17 Player of the Match awards, placing him among the leading Indian players in the category. Rohit Sharma leads the list with 21 awards, followed by Virat Kohli (20), MS Dhoni (18), and Ravindra Jadeja (17).

For the Rajasthan Royals, it was a tough outing with the ball. England pacer Jofra Archer endured a difficult spell, conceding 46 runs — his most expensive outing in an innings this IPL season.

Coming to the clash, a blistering 110-run opening stand between Rahul (75 off 40) and Pathum Nissanka (62 off 33) laid the perfect foundation for a record 226-run chase, which was calmly finished by Tristan Stubbs (18*) and Ashutosh Sharma (25*) with five balls to spare.

Earlier, Riyan Parag led from the front with a superb 90 off 50 balls, his first fifty-plus score of the season, while Donovan Ferreira smashed an unbeaten 47 off just 14 deliveries to power RR to 225/6 after opting to bat. Parag steadied the innings alongside Dhruv Jurel (42) following early setbacks before Mitchell Starc (3/40) struck key blows, including the RR skipper’s wicket, on his return. (ANI)