Rahul, Nissanka orchestrate DC's highest chase in IPL history

In a nutshell

Brisk half-centuries from openers Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul powered the Delhi Capitals to their highest chase in IPL history, snapping their three-match losing streak in Jaipur on Friday (May 1). Riyan Parag's captain's knock - a stroke-filled 90 - and Donovan Ferreira's fiery cameo of 47* helped Rajasthan Royals to a strong 225/6 despite losing their explosive openers cheaply. However, Rahul stitched a 110-run opening stand with Nissanka and another another worth 61 with Nitish Rana to set the platform for a comfortable seven-wicket win.

Match in phases

Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 225/6 in 20 overs [Riyan Parag 90 (50), Donovan Ferreira 47* (14), Dhruv Jurel 42 (30); Mitchell Starc 3-40] lost to Delhi Capitals 226/3 in 19.5 overs [KL Rahul 75 (40), Pathum Nissanka 62 (33), Nitish Rana 33 (17)] by 7 wickets

Delhi's new new-ball attack restricts RR

It wasn't Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, but Mitchell Starc was welcomed to IPL 2026 with a first-ball six from Yashasvi Jaiswal. That's all the RR opener could do, though - top-edging a full toss one delivery later to be out caught by the bowler himself. At the other end, Sooryavanshi got going with a first-ball four off Kyle Jamieson before the New Zealander cleaned him up next delivery. It was only for the 20-run final over of the Powerplay that RR managed a respectable 56/2.

Parag steps up

Despite getting the explosive openers cheaply, Delhi couldn't contain in the middle overs and the RR skipper announced his return to form with a valuable knock. It was Parag who took the attack to Jamieson with a 6, 4, 6 in the sixth over to make up for lost ground in the Powerplay. He combined with Jurel for a 102-run partnership that arrested the slide.

When Kuldeep Yadav was miserly in his opening over, the RR skipper counterattacked and took on his counterpart with consecutive maximums on his way to a 32-ball fifty. DC skipper Axar Patel replaced himself with a pacer, and Parag dished two a four and a flat six to turn that into a big over as well. Axar returned after changing ends, and was hit for a six by Jurel but had his revenge next ball. Parag kept at it, taking on Jamieson again at the backend with a hat-trick of boundaries to move to 90.

Ferreira fire at the death

Starc returned at death to send back both Parag and Jadeja in the same over, but Ferreira turned on the heat to help RR to a powerful finish. A 14-ball cameo worth 47 that included half a dozen maximums and a couple of boundaries more - and DC were left staring at a massive 226-run chase to snap their losing streak. Ferreira flipped the otherwise economical spell of Kuldeep with three sixes in four balls in the 18th over. In the ninth, he dispatched Starc with a six and a four, and in the final over Natarajan was dispatched for 4, 6, 6 at the backend.

DC showcase thier best in batting Powerplay

Not only with the new ball, DC had a Powerplay to brag with the bat too. For the first time this season, the opening partnership survived the six overs and even ended up putting thier second-best Powerplay score of all time. Pathum Nissanka, back in the game after being dropped last match, took a liking to Jofra Archer early, smacking the pacer for three fours and a six in the space of five deliveries across his opening spell.

Then, it was Nandre Burger in the line of fire. Having already bookended his opening over leaking boundaries to Rahul, in his second, Nissanka dispatched him for sixes at either end as he raced to a 23-ball ffity on comeback by the end of fielding restrictions. It was the Nissanka show all along as DC raced to 78/0.

Rahul, Nitish at it again

He wasn't as brutal early on, but Rahul switched gears against Ravi Bishnoi with a four and two sixes in his second over to take DC past the 100-run mark in the ninth over. Jadeja struck to dismiss the dangerous Nissanka, but Rahul brought up his 27-ball ffity before him and Nitish Rana tore into the veteran spinner with an 18-run 12th over. Together they stitched a 61-run counter-attacking stand that had Delhi on track for the mammoth chase. The duo forced Burger out of the attack with an18-run over, going well past the 150 mark by the 14th over.

RR late strikes delay the inevitable

Deshpande and Archer had Rana and Rahul, respectively, in succeeding overs, briefly allowing RR the window to claw back. However, the ask was down to a manageable 49 off 4.4 overs by then. Ashutosh Sharma and Tristan Stubbs combined for a 49-run unbroken stand, wrapping up their biggest chase in IPL history with five balls to spare to put behind the two recent stinging defeats at home.

Where do they go next?

Delhi return home for their game against Chennai Super Kings on May 5. Royals have a week before they play next, against Gujarat Titans at home on May 9.