Delhi Capitals’ IPL 2026 season suffered a fresh jolt on Monday night as Axar Patel’s side slumped to a crushing defeat against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Delhi were dismissed for just 75, failing to reach the 20-over mark, and the contest briefly looked like an open goal when the home team slipped to 8/6. Despite that, the visitors managed to push past RCB’s long-standing low team-total benchmark of 49, setting up a chase RCB completed with authority. RCB reached the target of 76 inside the seventh over, with Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal remaining unbeaten on 23 and 34 respectively. After the win, RCB captain Rajat Patidar pointed to the pace bowlers’ impact and admitted he did not anticipate the pitch to offer extra carry and movement, particularly early.
Key takeaways
- Delhi Capitals were bowled out for 75 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and did not play out the full 20 overs.
- RCB chased down 76 in the seventh over, with Virat Kohli (23*) and Devdutt Padikkal (34*) sealing the outcome.
- During the chase, Delhi briefly stood at 8/6, before the team still managed to surpass RCB’s previous lowest team total of 49.
- Rajat Patidar credited Hazelwood and Bhuvneshwar for swing and early wickets that kept RCB in control.
- Patidar confirmed he deliberately reduced Bhuvneshwar and Hazelwood’s spells after the powerplay as part of a pre-set plan.
- With the victory, RCB moved into second place and next face Gujarat Titans on Thursday, April 30.
RCB’s chase and the turnaround from a rough Delhi start
The chase was never truly in doubt once RCB took command. Delhi’s innings collapsed in dramatic fashion, and at one point the hosts were reeling at 8 for 6. Even then, Delhi found a way to avoid the lowest IPL team-total mark associated with RCB’s earlier record of 49, eventually crossing that threshold as the innings progressed.
Once RCB began scoring cleanly, the required run rate quickly became manageable. The defending champions completed the pursuit of 76 comfortably, finishing in the seventh over. Kohli and Padikkal stayed unbeaten throughout the job, with Kohli contributing 23* and Padikkal 34* to guide RCB home.
Patidar’s post-match comments and the bowling plan after powerplay
After the match, Rajat Patidar offered a candid assessment of what worked for RCB. He said he was surprised by how the wicket behaved, adding that the credit belonged to the bowlers—particularly for their execution during the powerplay. Patidar highlighted that Hazelwood and Bhuvneshwar hit their areas and managed to extract the movement that made the early breakthroughs possible, describing the swing as a key factor in keeping pressure on the Delhi batters.
Patidar also addressed why he did not push for a more ruthless finish at the beginning of the chase. At one stage, RCB had a realistic pathway to dismiss Delhi Capitals for below 49, which would have handed over the unwanted record of the league’s lowest team total. However, Patidar loosened the intensity by taking Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood out of the attack after the powerplay.
That decision opened the door for additional contributions from other RCB batters. With Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood removed, David Miller, Kyle Jamieson and Abishek Porel struck a few blows that helped Delhi’s total move past the 50-run mark.
When asked about the tactical switch, Patidar explained that the approach had been structured in advance. He said the plan was to allocate three overs each to the two experienced pacers if early wickets were secured. Patidar further noted that the captaincy focus then shifted to assessing how the pitch played later in the innings, while Suyash and Sheppy also delivered in their respective overs. He praised the bowling end-to-end, specifically pointing to stump-to-stump accuracy and the quality of the spin he said they extracted.
Context from the venue and RCB’s next assignment
The Arun Jaitley Stadium has already produced contrasting storylines this season. The previous match at the ground featured the highest chase in T20 cricket, with Punjab Kings chasing down 265. In stark contrast, this game delivered a total opposite outcome, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood running through Delhi’s batting order.
With the win over Delhi Capitals, RCB strengthened its position in the points table, consolidating second place. The team’s next fixture will be against Gujarat Titans on Thursday, April 30.
