The playoff hopes of Delhi Capitals are still alive. DC beat Rajasthan Royals by five wickets in the 62nd match of IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on May 17.
DC was chasing 194 and finished at 197 for 5 with four balls to spare. The win was built on half-centuries from KL Rahul and Abishek Porel, and a composed finish from captain Axar Patel and impact substitute Ashutosh Sharma.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals posted 193 for 8 in 20 overs. At one point, they were on course for well over 200, but Mitchell Starc turned the match around with a devastating 15th over that took three wickets and shifted the game completely in DC’s favour.
Starc Dismantles RR Middle Order to Limit Damage
Rajasthan Royals looked dangerous in the first half. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played a lightning 46 off 21 balls, hitting five fours and three sixes before being dismissed in the eighth over. Dhruv Jurel anchored the innings steadily, finishing with 53 off 40 balls. Riyan Parag was at his aggressive best, bringing up his fifty off just 23 balls — his fastest in IPL cricket — with three fours and five sixes in a 26-ball 51.
With RR sitting at 160 for 2 after 14 overs, a total of 220 or beyond looked likely. That is when Starc changed everything. In the 15th over, he dismissed Parag, Donovan Ferreira off the very next ball, and then had Ravi Singh out lbw two balls later. All three were slower ball variations, and none of the batters had a convincing answer. From 160 for 2, RR slid to 165 for 5 in just four deliveries. Shanaka was later removed by Starc as well, finishing with figures of 4 for 40. Lungi Ngidi and Madhav Tiwari chipped in with two wickets each, restricting RR to 193 for 8.
KL Rahul and Porel Give Delhi the Perfect Start
Delhi Capitals replied with intent. Abishek Porel and KL Rahul stitched together a 105-run opening stand that set the foundation for the chase. Porel was particularly aggressive, bringing up his fifty off 29 balls with seven fours and a six before being caught at long-on for 51. Rahul was more measured, hitting 56 off 42 balls with one four and three sixes before chopping a Shanaka delivery onto his stumps.
The partnership gave DC a comfortable position, though the middle overs slowed things down. Between overs seven and fourteen, DC scored just 45 runs as RR used spin and variation effectively to apply the brakes.
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Axar and Ashutosh Seal the Chase in Final Overs
With 64 needed from six overs after the second strategic timeout, Delhi still had work to do. Tristan Stubbs and David Miller were dismissed cheaply, but Axar Patel held the innings together. He finished unbeaten on 34 off 18 balls. The knock that sealed the match came from Ashutosh Sharma, who came in as an impact substitute in the 18th over. He hit 18 off just five balls, including two sixes and a four, to close out the game with four balls remaining.
The result means Delhi Capitals move to a position where a playoff berth remains possible, though they will need results to go their way in the remaining games. Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, stay sixth in the table with their playoff chances looking increasingly uncertain.
Rajasthan Royals’ next match is on May 19 against Lucknow Super Giants, while DC will play Kolkata Night Riders on May 24.
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