BRIEF SCORE: Delhi Capitals (179 for 4 in 19.5 overs) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (175 for 8 in 20 overs) by six wickets in an IPL 2026 match in Bengaluru on Saturday. RCB vs DC: Scorecard | Highlighting
Last year, during his trip to Bengaluru, KL Rahul made sure he was there to turn off the lights. His unbeaten 93 in Delhi Capitals’ successful chase of 164 remains etched in the memory. Not just for the runs, but for the rare, visceral release of the ‘Kantara’ celebration that followed. On Saturday, his 34th birthday, the scenario initially threatened a different ending. Faced with a target of 176 on an uncharacteristically slow Chinnaswamy surface, Rahul was unable to provide the final flourish himself.
However, the party went ahead as planned. Where the star left off, the South African tandem of Tristan Stubbs and David Miller took over and showed nerves of steel to wrest a thrilling victory from the jaws of the Bengaluru pressing. RCB’s bid to top the table came to a halt as they lost at home for the first time in the season.
Arguably one of the most comprehensive young talents in the global game, Stubbs acted as a ballast to the chase. As the request rate began to climb into uncomfortable teenage territory, the 25-year-old refused to blink. His presence in the crease allowed the veteran Miller, a man who has made a career out of late night robberies, to finally sing his own song of redemption.
With the equation reduced to 15 required off the last six deliveries, Miller timed his surge to perfection. There was no need frantically running around singles (or denied singles); the Killer was all about highs and lows. He dismantled Romario Shepherd, unleashed two towering sixes and a definitive boundary to settle the contest, allowing the Capitals pitching to finally breathe a collective sigh of relief.
While the finishers took the glory, it was Rahul who did the heavy lifting. His innings was a study in steely resolve, rescuing a Delhi side that looked utterly exhausted at 18 for 3. The Capitals were poisoned by a masterclass of new ball swing from the wily Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who used the setting sun and a hint of movement to dismiss the in-form Pathum Nissanko, the returning Sameer and Rizvi.
But the local boy refused to back down. Understanding the premium on Powerplay runs on a pitch that was only slowing down, Rahul took on Josh Hazlewood. Despite the Aussie being one of the most frugal players in the league, Rahul’s aggressive counter-attack ensured the Capitals were dragged to 50 by the end of the sixth over.
RAHUL AND STUBBS DO REPAIR WORK
The backbone of the chase was KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs who shared a 69-run partnership in just over seven overs. Rahul was in good rhythm, keeping the pace high and on his 34th birthday the target looked well within reach.
However, the momentum shifted in the 11th over thanks to some smart bowling from Krunal Pandya. After two tight overs off the spinner, Rahul felt the need to break the shackles. He skipped down the track to loft Krunal over covers but failed to clear the boundary and found the safe hands of Virat Kohli at deep cover.
With the star gone, captain Axar Patel stepped in to up the ante. Although he has struggled for form this season, he made a brisk 26 off 19 balls to keep Delhi in the hunt. But the stifling Bengal heat eventually took its toll; a visibly exhausted Axar decided to retire in the 16th round to bring a fresh pair of legs.
With David Miller joining Stubbs, the equation looked ominous, with 41 needed from the last four overs. Josh Hazlewood then tightened the screws and used all his experience to gain just four runs for a superb 17th.
With the pressure reaching breaking point, Stubbs finally found the release Delhi needed. He took a calculated risk against veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had been almost perfect till then. Stubbs hit a massive six to bring up a vital half-century in over 12 runs for RCB, finally swinging the momentum back in favor of the Capitals.
RCB FIGHT IN SLUGGISH AT HOME
Asked to bat first on a surface that whispered slowness beneath the golden sheen, RCB burst out of the blocks with the intent of possessed men. Salt, in particular, seemed to bring his own private highway into the fold. His 63 off 38 balls was a display of power and calculated risk, dismantling Auqib Nabi in a flurry of boundaries that catapulted the hosts to 59/1 in the powerplay.
Kohli, meanwhile, looked commanding for a brief 13-ball stay, smashing three magnificent boundaries before his pursuit of a 300th IPL six was ended by Lungi Ngidi’s deceptive delivery. Stretching to deep cover on 19, the Chinnaswamy Stadium fell into a momentary, stunned silence, but Salt refused to let the momentum drop and reached his fifty in just 30 deliveries.
CHOKE REMOVAL
As the field expanded, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav began operating with the surgical precision of diamond cutters. Axar, in particular, was frugality epitome, finishing with a match-defining 2/18. He removed Devdutt Padikkal (18) just as the left-hander was trying to shift and later accounted for the dangerous Tim David (26) with a ball that gripped and turned.
Kuldeep struck the set batter and lured Salt into a fateful aerial drive that ended up in the hands of Tristan Stubbs. From a position of relative comfort at 99/2 after 10 overs, RCB’s innings began to bleed. The middle order, including skipper Rajat Patidar and the expensive Romario Shepherd, found themselves entangled in a web of dots.
The final flourish never really came. Jitesh Sharma struggled for rhythm, eating 20 balls in a labored 14, while a late six from Krunal Pandya ended in a chaotic run-out.
Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan and Ngidi (2/39) closed the death over with a mix of wide yorkers and slower bouncers to ensure the hosts left at least 20 runs in the park.
RCB, who have broken batting records this season, struggled on a slow pitch, managing just 43 runs in the last seven overs and losing four wickets at this stage.
The win came at the right time for Delhi Capitals as they snapped a two-game losing streak. Axar’s men next face SunRisers Hyderabad away from home on Tuesday, April 21.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
18 Apr 2026 20:02 IST
