Three dropped catches cost Punjab Kings against Lucknow Super Giants last Sunday; but they may not have been so lucky to watch the bouncer that the usual suspect, Shashank Singh, was hanging out at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday. Freed from just 12, KL Rahul went on to build a 47-ball century that made the Punjab Kings pay dearly for a steamy afternoon in the capital. | DC vs PBKS update – Scorecard |
Rahul made sure he took full advantage of the gift bestowed upon him by smashing the fastest hundred by a Delhi Capitals batsman in IPL history. The Karnataka batter thus eclipsed Virender Sehwag’s long-standing record of 15 years – the 48-ball century he struck against the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in 2011.
By recording his sixth ton, Rahul also equaled Chris Gayle on the list of most centuries in the IPL. He is now only the fourth batsman in the history of the tournament to score more than five hundred, joining an elite group that included Virat Kohli (8), Jos Buttler (7) and Gayle (6).
He is also the first player in IPL history to score multiple hundreds for three different franchises – 2 for Punjab Kings, 2 for Lucknow Super Giants and now 2 for Delhi Capitals.
Rahul appeared in a commanding touch and ruthlessly converted the attack into spin and pace. He didn’t just punish loose balls; expertly dispatched good deliveries and forced the fast bowlers off their lengths. Against Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul concentrated his attack across the ‘V’ and ensured he avoided risky criss-cross shots on a surface that was expected to slow down as the day progressed.
Rahul featured as the main aggressor in a formidable 150-plus run partnership with Nitish Rana, who also compiled a blistering half-century. Together, Rana and Rahul dominated the Punjab Kings bowling attack, which was further undermined by some subpar fielding. Rana was particularly destructive against Xavier Bartlett, who plundered 28 runs in the 12th over one of the season’s most successful pitchers.
Throughout the innings, Rahul looked exceptionally determined, sprinting hard between the wickets and keeping enough fuel in the tank to carry on after reaching his milestone on a punishingly hot day in Delhi.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
25 Apr 2026 17:09 IST
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