Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals Match Highlights & Results

That's a wrap - Just one week remains in the league stage action of IPL 2026, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru being the only team so far to have locked in a playoff berth. A massive game awaits us in Chennai on Monday, 18th May, where Chennai Super Kings lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad, with both teams harbouring playoff aspirations. The game will begin at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). See you then. Cheers!

Royals slip, Capitals survive - With this result, the Rajasthan Royals no longer have their destiny in their own hands. They need to win their remaining two games and then hope that other results go their way. It is a quick turnaround for the Royals, who next face Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur on Tuesday, 19th May. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, hang in there with an outside chance and now have a bit of a break before their next game against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, 24th May. By then, though, they may not even be in the race anymore.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Mitchell Starc gets the award for his outstanding display of 4/40 from his 4 overs, with three of those wickets coming in a single over that proved to be the turning point of the match. Starc says that it was an interesting game and the pitches have been different in Delhi right throughout the tournament. Goes on to say that they didn't bowl too badly in the Powerplay, but managed to pull it back, and it's always good to sign off at home with a win. Mentions that the key is to adjust not just quickly, but quicker than the other team as well and feels that there was reverse swing on offer and they adjusted well after the Powerplay. Starc also says that the beauty of T20 is that you can't dwell on too many things, and neither can you celebrate for too long, so it's important to stay level-headed. On the group, he says that there are plenty of talented youngsters in their team and says that every season he plays in the IPL, there's just such a good mixture of youth and experience.

The captain of the Delhi Capitals - Axar Patel says that winning at home feels special, especially after a string of defeats and with this being the final home game of the season. He adds that the side had been losing wickets in clusters in previous matches, but tonight, after getting a strong opening stand, they stayed well placed throughout and managed to build partnerships. Axar says that his side has repeatedly managed to make comebacks with the ball after the Powerplay this season. Mentions that the side once again pulled things back in the middle overs, joking that it was their youngster (Mitchell Starc) who did the job for them. Patel shares that he and Mitchell Starc kept discussing field placements and ways to make life difficult for every new batter at the crease.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

RR flatter to deceive - After being asked to bat first, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi got the Royals off to a flying start before Riyan Parag carried the momentum forward. At 160/2 with 6 overs left, it looked less about whether RR would cross 200 and more about how far beyond they could get. A triple-wicket over from Mitchell Starc turned the game on its head, and the rest of the DC attack chipped in to complete a remarkable fightback. 33/6 in the last 6 overs meant the Royals could only get up to 193.

Experience carried DC over the line - The Royals managed to apply the squeeze after breaking the opening partnership and picked up wickets along the way to force a slowdown. With momentum on their side, lapses in the field did not help their cause, and a costly gamble to introduce Donovan Ferreira, who conceded 16 runs in the over, eased the pressure on DC. In the end, they had enough quality in the likes of David Miller, Ashutosh Sharma and Axar Patel to get them over the line.

Royals left to rue early errors - The Capitals carried the momentum from their fightback with the ball into the chase and raced to 72 in the Powerplay without losing a wicket. The Royals were a bit too short with the new ball upfront, and dropping KL Rahul on 0 only made matters worse. Abishek Porel and Rahul put on a 105-run opening stand, with both batters bringing up their fifties.

DC's crisis man - KL Rahul says that this season feels a bit more special, as he has been scoring in excess of 500 runs season after season, but his strike rate is up, which is positive, and he would have liked to have won a few more games. Hopes that they can win their last game, and a few other teams can help their cause. Mentions that he hasn't cracked the game completely, and the sport is such that you need to be open to experimentation and doing things that make you uncomfortable. Also mentions that before the season started, the coaches wanted him to play at a certain strike rate and dominate the Powerplay, but in the last few games, the pitches have been tricky, and he's had to take a step back, and the way Abishek Porel played today allowed him to play the anchoring role. Goes on to talk a bit more about Porel, saying that Porel is someone who can play according to the situation well, and unfortunately, he didn't get too many chances this season, and he's also trying to improve his strike rate, and this innings will give him that confidence.

The captain of the Rajasthan Royals - Riyan Parag reflects on the game. He says that they were in a pretty good space in the first innings, but when he got out, they failed to get to 220-230 runs. With the ball, they weren't at their best and mentions that Ferreira wasn't a gamble, it was a ploy against the two left-handers. On the fielding, Parag says that if you want to win the tournament, the fielding needs to be top-notch and feels that if they are playing like this, then they shouldn't be in contention for the top four. On the playoff scenario, he says that now their fate isn't only in their hands, which he doesn't like and hopes that they can win their remaining two games.

DC live to fight another day - They would have surely loved to have finished the chase in a more comfortable and clinical fashion, but two points in the bag is all that matters for now, and it keeps their playoff hopes alive, however slim they may be. RR, meanwhile, will be kicking themselves for not making the most of the launchpad they had set for themselves with the bat. Though they fought till the very end with the ball, they just did not put up enough runs on the board.

Adam Milne to Ashutosh Sharma, Six!SIX! Ashutosh Sharma doesn't need a second invitation, and he derails Rajasthan Royals' playoff hopes, keeping Delhi Capitals in with an outside chance. The Capitals win by 5 wickets. Milne bangs it in quick and short over middle, Sharma stays back again and climbs into the pull, launching it high and in front of deep square leg for a biggie.

Adam Milne to Ashutosh Sharma, Four!FOUR! As easy as you like from Ashutosh Sharma. Overpitched delivery on off, Sharma hangs deep in the crease, keeps the front leg out of the way and hammers it over mid off for a boundary. Just 3 needed now off 5 balls.

Right, we are down to the final over. With the way DC started, few would have expected it to get this close. Last year, these two sides played out a thriller here in Delhi when RR needed 9 off the final over, and Mitchell Starc dragged the game into the Super Over. Tonight, DC need 7. Adam Milne has been given the task of bowling the final over. Well, RR have been penalised for maintaining a slow over rate. They will be allowed only 4 fielders outside the 30-yard circle. Advantage DC.

Brijesh Sharma to Ashutosh Sharma, 1 run.Oh, a direct hit, and Ashutosh Sharma would have been a goner. Back of a length again, straighter this time. Sharma jams it across to mid-wicket and sets off for the single, and luckily for him, the fielder misses the direct hit at the bowler's end. 7 needed now off the last over.

Brijesh Sharma to Ashutosh Sharma, Six!SIX! Right on cue, Ashutosh Sharma goes big and eases the pressure a bit on the batting side. Back of a length, on off, Sharma hangs back and just shovels it across to deep mid-wicket and over the fence for a biggie.

Brijesh Sharma to Axar Patel, 1 run.The boundaries aren't just coming for Delhi at the moment. Full and outside off, Patel can't get under it and squeezes it to covers for one.

Brijesh Sharma to Ashutosh Sharma, 2 Wides!WIDE! Another fumble from Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps. Full and down the leg side, it is the slower delivery. Jurel spills it to short fine leg and they get a single as well.

Brijesh Sharma to Axar Patel, 1 run.Patel doesn't get the connection, it was there to be hit. Full and straight, not quite yorker-length, Patel backs away and hits it down to long on for just a single.

Brijesh Sharma to Ashutosh Sharma, 1 run.Full and wide outside off, landing it near the tramline. Ashutosh Sharma gets across and eases it through cover-point for one.

Ashutosh Sharma walks in next. Ashutosh is DC's Impact Sub. Mukesh Kumar has been subbed out.

Mukesh Kumar is substituted by Ashutosh SharmaMukesh Kumar is substituted by Ashutosh Sharma

Brijesh Sharma to David Miller, OUT! c Dasun Shanaka b Brijesh Sharma.OUT! CAUGHT! Straight to the man in the deep, and there's still a lot of life left in this game. Brijesh Sharma comes around the wicket and bowls a slower one into the pitch, just around off. David Miller gets his hands out in front and looks to drag the pull over mid-wicket but ends up hitting it flat. Dasun Shanaka moves a step to his right in the deep and pouches it around head height. The mighty Miller goes and Brijesh gets his second wicket. 19 required off 11.

Brijesh Sharma to bowl the 19th over. How much can he leave for the final over?

Donovan Ferreira to Axar Patel, Six!SIX! A costly gamble from the Royals, 16 off the over. Tossed up on middle and leg, Axar Patel stays leg side of the ball and just swings across the line, slogging it high and over cow corner for a biggie. 19 needed now off 12 balls.

Donovan Ferreira to David Miller, 1 run.Oh, that could have gone anywhere. Full again, angled into the leg pole. Miller sets up for the slog sweep but toe-ends it into the off side for one run.

Donovan Ferreira to Axar Patel, 1 run.Speared into the left-hander, on a length, Axar backs away and smears it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Donovan Ferreira to David Miller, 1 run.Well bowled. High-arm delivery, angled a long way into the batter. Miller backs away again but fails to get under it and hits it down to long on for a single.

Donovan Ferreira to David Miller, Six!SIX! Overpitched and punished. Full, trying to angle it in at the toes. David Miller makes a bit of room and slams it over long on for a biggie.

Donovan Ferreira to Axar Patel, 1 run.That's well bowled. The under-cutter from Ferreira, lobbed up and drifted into middle. Patel almost misreads it and dabs it late towards short third for a single.

That's Archer done for the night. Interesting call from Riyan Parag. An interesting call from Riyan Parag. With two left-handers at the crease, Donovan Ferreira has been introduced for his off-breaks. A golden duck earlier with the bat for Ferreira, but he now has an opportunity to make an impact against his old side.

Jofra Archer to David Miller, No run.A dot to finish, and that's a fine comeback from Archer, ending up with figures of 4-0-35-2. Back of a length, slanted back into the batter. Miller gets cramped for room and jams it into the off side. 35 needed now off 18 balls.

Jofra Archer to Axar Patel, 1 run.Archer goes for the yorker now, on off stump, pushed down to long off for a single by Patel.

Jofra Archer to Axar Patel, Four!FOUR! Not where Axar intended that to go, but they all count the same. Good length, angled in at the stumps, Axar Patel comes down the pitch and goes after it, ends up slicing it high and to the right of deep point. Yashasvi Jaiswal runs to his right but the ball spins away from him and goes over the fence.

Jofra Archer to David Miller, 1 run.A fine delivery to the new batter. Just short of a length and around off, at 148.1 kph. The ball shoots off the deck and takes Miller by surprise. He manages to keep it down behind point and picks up a single.

David Miller makes his way out to bat. Four balls left in Jofra Archer's spell, and the Royals would dearly love another wicket here.

Jofra Archer to Tristan Stubbs, OUT! c Yashasvi Jaiswal b Jofra Archer.OUT! CAUGHT! Yashasvi Jaiswal is back on the field and he takes a top catch, and the game keeps getting tighter and tighter. Tristan Stubbs is a bit early to shuffle past the off stump and sets up for the lap shot. Jofra Archer sees him and drags the length back, slowing it down a touch as well. Instead of hitting it fine, Stubbs ends up hitting it over backward square leg. Jaiswal charges in from deep square leg and takes a fine running catch. Archer delivers for RR, and DC now need 41 off 22 balls.

Jofra Archer to Axar Patel, 1 run.Short of a length, on a tight line around off, and at 147.5 clicks. Patel hops back and glides it late, down to third man for a single.

Jofra Archer to Axar Patel, Wide!WIDE! Around the wicket, a bit short and angled down leg. Wide called. Actually, Riyan Parag has reviewed it, pretty late as well. The third umpire is called into action. He checks UltraEdge and finds that the ball has missed the bat as well as the body and it will stay a wide. A review wasted here.

Jofra Archer (3-0-27-1) will bowl out now. Riyan Parag is not holding Archer back for later because by then, the pacer may have nothing left to work with.

Adam Milne to Axar Patel, 1 run.Full again, attacking the stumps, lofted on the bounce to long on for just one more. 43 needed now off 24 balls.

Adam Milne to Tristan Stubbs, 1 run.Pitched up, full and around off, Tristan Stubbs backs away and laces the straight drive, a few inches above the ground as well. Adam Milne gets his left hand down on the follow-through and gets fingertips on it, slowing the ball down to long off for a single. The 150 is also up for DC.

Adam Milne to Axar Patel, 2 Wides!WIDE! Slower bumper, dug in well short and well wide of the off stump. Patel leaves it alone and Dhruv Jurel gets a bad bounce, fumbling the ball towards short third and the batters cross over.

Adam Milne to Tristan Stubbs, 1 run.Fuller now, attacking the stumps, flicked away to deep square leg for a single. Five runs off the over so far.

Adam Milne to Tristan Stubbs, No run.Bowled into the pitch, around off, Stubbs fails to put it away through the off side.

Adam Milne to Axar Patel, 3 runs.Oh, that's not what you want at this time. Bowled from around the wicket to the left-hander, back of a length and on off. Patel comes down the pitch and punches it wide of mid off. It is the skipper, Riyan Parag who dives to his right and over the ball, allowing the ball to roll down to long off. The batters get three, a rarity on this ground.

Adam Milne to Tristan Stubbs, 1 run.Back of a length and on off, slightly slower. Stubbs pushes it through mid on and picks up a single.

Adam Milne is back into the attack, replacing Yash Punja.

Dasun Shanaka to Axar Patel, 2 Leg byes.Overthrows! Riyan Parag is not happy at all. Skidding through, on a short of a length, on middle. Axar looks to work it away on the leg side with a closed bat face but is beaten for pace. The ball rolls to short third off the thigh and the batters cross over. In comes a wild throw from Yash Punja at the batting end that goes towards deep mid-wicket and the batters sneak in one more.

Ravi Singh has gone off the field. Rajasthan already have a couple of substitute fielders out in place of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, as mentioned by Harsha Bhogle on air, and now Singh is off with what looks like a hamstring pull.

Dasun Shanaka to Axar Patel, Six!SIX! Crashed away! Halfway down the track, pace off, on middle. Axar waits for the ball to arrive and climbs into it. He nails the pull over mid-wicket and it goes over the fence for a six.

Dasun Shanaka to Tristan Stubbs, 1 run.Bowls it on a short of a length, on middle. Stubbs turns it in front of deep mid-wicket and they think about the second run. Ravi Singh comes charging in off the ropes and seems to have pulled up his hamstring while bending to pick the ball up. The sub fielder, Ravi Bishnoi gets to the ball and keeps the batters down to a single.

Well, well, the Capitals are doing what Rajasthan did in their batting innings. Tristan Stubbs walks out to bat next.

Dasun Shanaka to KL Rahul, OUT! b Dasun Shanaka.OUT! DRAGGED ON! Dasun Shanaka provides RR with a big scalp. Slower one by Dasun, on a good length, just outside the off stump. Rahul makes a bit of room to force it away on the off side but ends up chopping it back onto the stumps. KL really lost his rhythm towards the back end of his innings. DC are 133/3, needing 61 runs off 33 balls.

Dasun Shanaka to KL Rahul, 2 runs.Good placement. Pace off, angled into the pads, on a length. Rahul tucks it with soft hands through the vacant mid-wicket region and comes back for the second before throw comes in from the deep.

Dasun Shanaka to Axar Patel, 1 run.Hits the back of a length, on middle. Axar pulls it hard towards deep mid-wicket. A slight misfield in the deep by Yashasvi Jaiswal but that does not cost RR any extra run.

Dasun Shanaka (2-0-19-0) is back into the attack.

Yash Punja to Axar Patel, 1 run.Looped up, very full, on middle and leg. Axar whips it towards wide long on for just a single. Despite the boundary, just 7 runs off the over. DC require 64 runs from 36 balls.

Yash Punja to Axar Patel, Four!FOUR! Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should have done better there. A bit short, on middle and leg. Patel goes on the back foot and plays the pull through square leg.  Sooryavanshi sprints and slides to his right but the ball catches him on the wrist and deflects behind into the fence.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, 1 run.Sliding in towards the right-hander, on a good length. KL punches it to long on with a straight bat and turns the strike over.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, No run.Missed out! A long hop by Punja at 90.7 kph, well wide on off. Rahul reaches out to force it away. Toe-ends it to extra cover.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, No run.Fractionally short, on top of off. Rahul hops back and cuts but picks out backward point. He lets out a cry in anguish.

Yash Punja to Axar Patel, 1 run.Drops it short, it is the googly, on off. Axar drags the pull to long on and crosses over.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Well, this is turning out to be a bit of a mirror image of the first innings. The Capitals are starting to lose steam, but as long as they keep wickets in hand, 71 off the last 7 overs shouldn't be too difficult. The Royals have done well to get that required rate up over 10 runs an over, but they will need a lot more and unfortunately for them, they are a bit under-equipped with the ball. Someone like a Dasun Shanaka might have to bowl at the death for them. This is slowly turning out to be a fascinating chase, and the next 2-3 overs will give us a better idea of which way the game is going.

Jofra Archer to KL Rahul, No run.Fuller and on off. KL leans on and knocks it straight to cover. A wicket and just 2 runs off the over. 2 wickets and 18 runs from the last 3 overs. DC need 71 runs in 42 balls.

Jofra Archer to Axar Patel, 1 run.At the ribs, on the shorter side. Axar hops and works it uppishly but through the vacant square leg region for a single.

Jofra Archer to Axar Patel, No run.Nails the yorker, tailing back in at the toes. Axar squeezes it out to mid-wicket.

Archer does get a wicket on his return. That brings DC's skipper, Axar Patel, to the crease.

Jofra Archer to Sahil Parakh, OUT! c Dhruv Jurel b Jofra Archer.OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Jofra Archer strikes on his return to the attack. Troubled on the previous ball, Sahil Parakh tries to go for the big shot, but it does not come off. Angled in, on a nagging length, on middle and leg. Parakh backs away and swings for the hills. The ball takes the outside edge and goes behind to the keeper, Dhruv Jurel, who gobbles it up. DC are 122/2, needing 72 off 45 balls.

Jofra Archer to Sahil Parakh, No run.Not in control at all. Archer serves it at 145 kph, tucking the batter up for room. Sahil Parakh was perhaps expecting the short ball and tried to duck. The ball was not that short and Parakh ends up fending it awkwardly towards mid-wicket.

Jofra Archer to KL Rahul, 1 run.Skidding through, on a short of a length, outside off. KL rides the bounce and cuts it to deep point for one.

Jofra Archer is back on. Riyan Parag wants him to make an impact as Mitchell Starc did for Delhi in the middle phase.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, 1 run.Fractionally short, outside off. Rahul presses back and wrists it behind square leg for a run.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, Wide!Wide! Sprayed beyond the tramline on off. KL lets it pass.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, 2 runs.FIFTY FOR RAHUL! A well-compiled knock from Rahul. 4th half-century of the season to go with a century. This is the 50th 50-plus score for KL in the IPL, according to Ian Bishop. Yash drags the length back and it is slower through the air. A bit of turn but KL manages to shovel it wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Yash Punja to Sahil Parakh, 1 run.Across off, on the shorter side. This is slapped to deep cover by Parakh. Single taken.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, 1 run.A bit of extra bounce on this one for Punja due to his height. On a nagging length, outside off. KL cuts it late towards backward point. It gets to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on the bounce and he can't make a clean stop, allowing a single.

Yash Punja to Sahil Parakh, 1 run.Attempted googly but it is dragged down, on off. Sahil rocks back and pulls it through mid-wicket for one more run.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, 1 run.Drops it short, outside off. A bit of away turn and Rahul cuts it to the right of backward point for a single.

Brijesh Sharma to Sahil Parakh, No run.Delivers it on a back of a length, on off. Sahil gets on top of it and punches it to cover.

Brijesh Sharma to Sahil Parakh, Four!FOUR! Squeezed away! Brijesh Sharma nails the yorker, right at the base of the off stump. Sahil hurriedly drops his bat down and presents an angled face of the blade. Not sure if it was intended, but it raced down to the deep third fence off the face of the blade.

Brijesh Sharma to KL Rahul, 1 run.Targets the off pole with a good-length ball. KL punches it on the up to wide long off for a run.

Brijesh Sharma to Sahil Parakh, 1 run.Bowls the dipping yorker, on leg. Parakh takes it on the full and flicks it in front of square on the leg side for a run.

Brijesh Sharma to Sahil Parakh, 2 runs.Pushes the length up, outside off. Parakh leans on and slices it with an open bat face between backward point and deep third. Yash Punja gets around in the deep but cannot prevent the batters from taking the second run.

Sahil Parakh walks out to bat at number 3.

Brijesh Sharma to Abishek Porel, OUT! c Donovan Ferreira b Brijesh Sharma.OUT! STRAIGHT UP AND TAKEN! Brijesh begins from around the wicket and dishes it out on a length, on off. Porel has a big swing at it, looking to go down the ground, but he is early into the lofted hit. It is skied off the lower half of the blade towards long on. Donovan Ferreira runs in off the ropes and takes a safe catch close to his waist. End of a 105-run opening stand. DC need 89 runs in 59 balls.

Halfway through and the Capitals are doing this all too easily at the moment. Brijesh Sharma has been brought back into the attack.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, No run.Rahul tries to be cheeky but misses out. A fuller delivery, wide outside off, Rahul goes for the reverse-scoop but fails to get a bat on it.

Yash Punja to Abishek Porel, 1 run.Bowled well short and outside off, Porel jams the cut through point and turns the strike over.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, 1 run.Good length, outside off, cut away in front of point for a single by KL.

Yash Punja to Abishek Porel, 1 run.That's turned a bit but Abishek Porel manages to fend it away and picks up a single to bring up his 4th IPL FIFTY. A googly on leg, turns across the left-hander. Porel presses back and gets a leading edge towards cover, picking up a single in the process.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, 1 run.Dragged short and pushed wide of the off stump, Rahul reaches for it and cuts it to deep backward point for a run.

Yash Punja to KL Rahul, Six!SIX! KL Rahul had a look at Punja in his first over, but he's decided to take him on now. Tossed up on middle and leg, Rahul skips down the track and lifts it cleanly over long on for a biggie. The 100-run stand is also up between these two.

Dasun Shanaka to KL Rahul, 1 run.Pace off from Shanaka, attacking the stumps. Rahul tucks it into the open space at mid-wicket for a single. Porel is keen on the second run but Rahul opts against it. 99 needed now off 66 balls.

Dasun Shanaka to Abishek Porel, 1 run.Bowled into the pitch and angled just across the left-hander. Porel gets on his toes and pats it down through point for a run.

Dasun Shanaka to Abishek Porel, 2 runs.Two is the call, and they will get it with ease. In and around off, stroked away to the right of Jofra Archer at deep extra cover for a brace. Porel moves on to 48 now.

Dasun Shanaka to KL Rahul, 1 run.Fuller one on off and middle, heaved away aerially down to the right of long on for just one run.

Dasun Shanaka to KL Rahul, No run.Finds the fielder, does Rahul. Slower ball, pushed wide of the off stump. KL Rahul slices the cut and hits it straight to the man at backward point.

Dasun Shanaka to Abishek Porel, 1 run.Pitched up full on off, Porel leans on and pushes it down to long off for a run.

Yash Punja to Abishek Porel, 1 run.First over of the chase without a boundary, top over from Punja. Good length on leg, Porel gets cramped for room but rocks back and heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single.