RR vs DC: Delhi chases down a target of over 220 runs for the first time in the IPL; Rajasthan suffers its sixth defeat in Jaipur.

Powered by a lethal bowling performance led by Mitchell Starc and the explosive batting of Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul, Delhi Capitals registered a magnificent seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals on Friday. In the match played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, Rajasthan—having won the toss and elected to bat first—posted a total of 225 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs, aided by a half-century knock from Riyan Parag. In reply, Delhi successfully chased down the target, scoring 226 runs for the loss of three wickets in 19.1 overs—bolstered by half-century innings from Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul—to seal the match in their favor.

Delhi Chases Down a 220+ Target for the First Time

The Delhi team successfully chased down a target exceeding 220 runs in the IPL for the very first time. Prior to this, the team had successfully chased a target of 210 runs against Lucknow in 2025. Furthermore, Delhi became the second team to successfully chase down the highest-ever target against Rajasthan. Previously, Sunrisers Hyderabad had defeated Rajasthan by chasing down a target of 229 runs. This marks Rajasthan’s sixth defeat in seven matches played in Jaipur.

Points Table Update

With this victory, Delhi currently sits at the sixth position on the points table. Axar Patel’s team, having won four out of nine matches, has eight points to its name, though their Net Run Rate remains poor. Meanwhile, despite their defeat in this match, Rajasthan retains the fourth position on the table. They have 12 points and a Net Run Rate of +0.510. Punjab Kings dominate the top spot, while RCB and Hyderabad occupy the second and third positions, respectively.

Nissanka and KL Lay the Foundation for Victory

Setting out to chase the target of 226 runs, Delhi was provided with a brilliant start by the opening pair of Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul. The duo forged a partnership of 110 runs in just 9.3 overs. Nissanka was eventually dismissed after scoring 62 runs off 33 balls, an innings studded with three sixes and six fours. From this juncture, KL Rahul forged a 61-run partnership for the second wicket with Nitish Rana, achieved in just 30 balls. Nitish returned to the pavilion after scoring 33 runs off 17 balls, an innings studded with two sixes and three fours. Shortly thereafter, the team also lost the wicket of KL Rahul, who was dismissed after scoring 75 runs off 40 balls, an innings featuring five sixes and six fours.

By the 15.2-over mark, the team had lost three wickets with the score standing at 177. From there, Ashutosh Sharma, in an unbroken 49-run partnership off 23 balls with Tristan Stubbs, guided the team to victory. Stubbs remained unbeaten on 18 runs, while Ashutosh played an unbeaten knock of 25 runs. From the opposition camp, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, and Ravindra Jadeja each claimed one wicket.

Riyan Parag Misses Out on a Century

Earlier in the match, Yashasvi Jaiswal (6)—who had smashed a six on the very first ball—handed a catch back to the bowler, Mitchell Starc, on the third ball of the innings. On the fifth ball of the next over, the team also lost the wicket of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who returned to the pavilion after scoring just a single four. By the end of 1.5 overs, the team had lost two wickets with the score at 12. From this point, Captain Riyan Parag built a 102-run partnership for the third wicket with Dhruv Jurel—achieved in 59 balls—taking the team’s total to 114. Jurel returned to the pavilion after scoring 42 runs off 30 balls, an innings featuring one six and four fours.

Subsequently, Riyan Parag formed a 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja—achieved in 28 balls—propelling the team to a formidable total. Jadeja was dismissed after scoring 20 runs off 14 balls, while Captain Parag played a magnificent innings of 90 runs off 50 balls, laced with five sixes and eight fours. Donovan Ferreira, along with Shubham Dubey, added 40 runs off 15 balls for the sixth wicket, propelling RR past the 200-run mark. Ferreira remained unbeaten on 47 runs off 14 balls, smashing six sixes and two fours. For Delhi, Mitchell Starc claimed three wickets for 40 runs, while Kyle Jamieson, Axar Patel, and T. Natarajan took one wicket each.