IPL 2026: KL Rahul and Stubbs scored half-centuries, Delhi Capitals defeated RCB by six wickets.

Bengaluru. After the brilliant performance of the bowlers, with the help of half-centuries by KL Rahul (57) and Tristan Stubbs (60 not out), Delhi Capitals defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by six wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 match here on Saturday. Despite opener Phil Salt’s aggressive innings of 63 runs in 38 balls, Capitals achieved the target for four wickets in 19.5 overs after restricting RCB to 175 runs for eight wickets.

For Capitals, Rahul hit two sixes and four fours in his 34-ball innings. After the team fell by three wickets for 18 runs, he made a partnership of 69 runs in 44 balls with Stubbs for the fourth wicket. After this, Stubbs made an unbroken partnership of 47 runs in 35 balls with captain Akshar Patel (retired hurt on 26 runs). Akshar retired hurt in the 16th over due to injury.

Stubbs batted with restraint and hit one six and four fours in his unbeaten innings of 47 balls, while David Miller (22 not out) gave the team victory by hitting two sixes and a four on consecutive balls in the last over. For RCB, Bhuvneshwar Kumar took three wickets for 26 runs in four overs, while Krunal Pandya took one wicket for 24 runs.

Salt hit four fours and three sixes in his innings, but Akshar Patel (two wickets for 18 runs), Kuldeep Yadav (two wickets for 32 runs) and Lungi Ngidi (two wickets for 39 runs) did not give other batsmen a chance to score runs quickly. Mukesh Kumar also got a success. Salt gave a strong start to the team by making a partnership of 52 runs in 31 balls with Virat Kohli (19) for the first wicket and 47 runs in 29 balls with Devdutt Padikkal (18) for the second wicket, but after his dismissal in the 11th over, no batsman except Tim David (26 runs in 17 balls) could score fast.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave three blows in his first two overs to Delhi Capitals while chasing the target. He LBW Pathum Nissanka (one) in the first over itself and sent Karun Nair (five) and Sameer Rizvi (two) to the pavilion in the third over. Rahul welcomed Josh Hazlewood from the other end with a six and hit a brilliant four over mid-off against Rasik Salam in the fourth over.

Despite three wickets falling for 18 runs, this wicketkeeper batsman hit a six over square leg against Hazlewood in the fifth over and did not let the pressure dominate the team by hitting fours on consecutive balls. In the powerplay, Delhi scored 50 runs for three wickets. Stubbs was batting cautiously, while Rahul maintained the run pace by hitting three fours against Suyyash Sharma and completed his half-century in 30 balls. Krunal Pandya gave a big blow to Delhi by dismissing Rahul on the first ball of the 11th over.

Virat Kohli took a brilliant catch. As soon as Akshar Patel came to the crease, he hit a four over short third man on Krunal’s bouncer ball and then also hit fours against Hazlewood and Salam. Stubbs, who was playing defensively till now, hit a four on a slow ball from Salam and scored four runs on a brilliant straight drive against Suyyash. The team needed 51 runs in the last six overs, but RCB bowlers bowled tightly and restricted the boundaries.

Meanwhile, Akshar left the field due to muscle strain. Stubbs ended the 24-ball boundary drought by hitting a six against Bhuvneshwar and completed his half-century in 41 balls. He welcomed Salam with a four in the 19th over, but the young bowler made a good comeback and gave only 10 runs from the over. Delhi Capitals needed 15 runs in the last over and David Miller gave the team victory with a four after equalizing the score by hitting a six on the third and fourth ball of Romaria Shepherd.

Earlier, Salt hit a four against Auqib Nabi in the opening over, while Kohli used his steps on Mukesh’s ball and scored four runs over extra cover. After this, in the next over also he hit a four outside the leg stump. Salt, playing cautiously, scored 18 runs against Nabi by hitting two fours and the first six of the innings in the fifth over, thereby completing the team’s half-century.

Ngidi ended the half-century partnership for the first wicket by dismissing Kohli on the very first ball in the next over. Salt welcomed Natarajan with a four, while Padikkal also showed aggressive attitude by hitting a six against this bowler. Salt completed his half-century in 30 balls by hitting a six against Kuldeep Yadav. Akshar got Padikkal (18) caught by David Miller in his opening over itself, while Kuldeep got Salt caught by Tristan Stubbs after hitting a six in the 11th over.

David, who was in great form, hit a six and a four against Ngidi, but captain Rajat Patidar (eight) got caught by wicketkeeper Rahul while trying to play a big shot on Mukesh’s ball. David hit a four against Axar Patel, but was later caught by Natarajan at short third man while trying to play a big shot.

Kuldeep LBWed Shepherd (one) and sent him to the pavilion early. Krunal (12) tried to increase the run rate by hitting a six against Ngidi, but he was run out in the last over. Jitesh Sharma was also seen struggling and scored 14 runs in 20 balls. RCB scored only 29 runs losing four wickets in the last five overs.