Why even bother with pitchers? One might ask if the Indian Premier League should simply replace them with bowling machines. A staggering 529 runs were plundered on the pitch and under the steamy afternoon sun on Saturday, offering absolutely no respite for the men with the ball. Delhi Capitals piled up 264 in their 20 overs, powered by KL Rahul’s record-breaking 151. And the kicker? Punjab Kings chased it down in just 18.5 overs, scripting the most successful run chase in IPL history and eclipsing their own mark of 262 set in the 2024 season.
A total of 31 sixes were hit and 46 boundaries were hit as not a single bowler escaped the carnage on a surface that was expected to slow down as the hot day progressed. Instead, it played as the Delhi-Agra Expressway; combined with the short boundaries at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, it was a waking nightmare that the bowlers were desperate to escape. The outfielders offered little consolation to their struggling team-mates as the sitters were drenched and precious chances trickled away. Karun Nair dropped 2 catches for DC. (Photo by Reuters)
DC vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Update | Scorecard
However, Punjab Kings have reasserted their status as one of the deadliest outfits in the IPL in recent years. They extended their unbeaten run to seven games and sit pretty at the top of the table with 13 points from seven games. They now stand alone as the only team to have successfully chased down targets of 250 or more in the IPL – a feat they have now achieved twice.
Prabhsimran Singh’s 26-ball 76, Priyansh Arya’s 17-ball 43 and another ice-cold finish from Shreyas Iyer (36-ball 71 not out) made light work of Punjab’s chase. At the halfway mark, 265 looked threatening, but even the Delhi Capitals camp must have felt that the total was not safe. Rahul’s master class and Nitish Rana’s stellar supporting act of 91 off 44 balls proved futile in the end. Shreyas Iyer and Shashank Singh remain unbeaten as Punjab chase 265. (PTI Photo)
USUAL SUSPECTS OF FIRE
How exactly do you signal your intent in chasing the highest total in IPL history? Just ask Priyansh Arya. Playing in front of his home crowd, the 24-year-old dropped Auqib Nabi – Delhi’s new-ball hope – into the stands on the very first delivery of the chase. Prabhsimran Singh then took charge and rattled Mukesh Kumar in the second shootout.
The usual suspects immediately shifted into sixth gear. However, there was a worrying interruption in the form of a nasty injury to Lungi Ngidi. Renowned for his bag of tricks and fine slower balls, Delhi’s most consistent bowler hit his head on the turf while attempting a catch at third off Axar Patel. The South African pacemaker was pulled away as an ambulance drove onto the pitch, leaving the stadium and television audience in shock. Lungi Ngidi was rushed to hospital after suffering a nasty blow to the head. (PTI Photo)
The accident caused a 15-minute delay, but Priyansh and Prabhsimran continued the attack without missing a break and continued to dismantle the Delhi attack. Two overs in the Powerplay yielded over 20 runs each as Nabi and Mukesh were taken to the cleaners.
Prabhsimran reached his fifty in just 18 deliveries. At the end of the Powerplay, he raced to 71 off 23 balls to help Punjab plunder 116 runs – the second-highest total ever in the first six overs of an IPL innings.
Delhi Capitals briefly roared back to life when Axar Patel smashed the opening stand in the first over to dismiss the dangerous Arya. Kuldeep Yadav then struck a double blow to match both Prabhsimran – who was chasing the record for the fastest IPL century – and the in-form Cooper Connolly.
Yet Shreyas Iyer never flinched. He didn’t even break a sweat. He knew the required pace remained manageable despite the flurry of wickets, thanks to the explosive platform laid by Prabhsimran and Priyansh.
While the spinners managed to squeeze in some quiet overs, Nehal Wadhera joined forces with Iyer for a 56-run partnership for the third wicket to take Punjab past 200 in the 15th over. Delhi might have applied more pressure had Karun Nair not dropped Iyer twice in four deliveries, with the Punjab skipper on just 27. The stand-in in the field endured a horror night, giving the main man two lives – first in the final over by Vipraj Nigam and then in the final set by Kuldeep Yadav. The latter ended up costing 23 runs, a mistake that only served to hasten Punjab’s march to their record victory.
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– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
25 Apr 2026 20:07 IST
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