Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals, 26th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - CommentaryRCB vs DC, 26th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - Commentary

After successive losses, DC get their campaign back on track. Just the 2nd loss for RCB meanwhile in 6 games. We are done with this game. SRH v CSK has already started. Hop tabs to follow all the action from there. For now it's bye bye from all of us here.

Tristan Stubbs | Player of the match: "I wasn't quite a ready in the changeroom. I thought, just watch the ball and just go from there. (chat with KL Rahul) No, it was quite nice. Came in really early and then the last two overs of powerplay, I thought, okay, I can have a go here. KL ended up getting most of the strike and taking us, getting us real momentum. And then through the middle there, the way he batted was magnificent. He really kept us going. And we spoke before as a team to bat in partnerships. So I thought, he's going well, so just give him the strike. (not an easiest wicket?) No, it wasn't like spinning or anything, but it was just a little bit slow, a little bit low. Pretty much what I play on back home. But yeah, thankfully we got the win. (thoughts when it was 37 off 18) Yeah, I kept thinking three sixes and we're straight back in it. And they bowled their guns out quite early. So then I always thought, worst case, the last over we can get whatever we need. But I didn't want to take it to the last over. But thankfully we got over the line. (thoughts when he saw Miller hitting those sixes) I said to him now, I knew we were going to do it. I didn't know how. So thankfully, David Miller was on the other end. And that's him, that's his bread and butter."

KL Rahul | DC's acting captain: "(the planting of the bat in the ground celebration today as well?) "That was a one-time thing only. (not today then?) No. No. Yeah, it is. I think, you know, the wicket did a little bit early on. I could see Virat and Phil Salt not happy with the way the ball was coming on. And yeah, and us losing three wickets in the first six doesn't make it easy for us. So yeah, it was, I think all in all a really good cricket game. (chat with Stubbs) Not really. I mean, the conversation was to, continue to play good cricket shots and, see how we can find boundaries and how we can still put the pressure on the bowlers. We didn't want to go into our shell and then, the run-rate keeps climbing up, it gets harder and harder towards the end. We saw that when we bowled as well, when there was a little bit of reverse swing as well and the bowlers were, the opposition have some really good death bowlers as well. So we didn't want to take it too deep. We just wanted to stay in the moment, take it one over at a time and try and put pressure on the bowlers. And yeah, he hit some good shots. I hit some good shots. (nervous at the end?) No, there was faith in Stubbs and Miller. They do this on a daily for South Africa and franchise cricket. So, we also knew that the last over was going to be a gamble for RCB as well. And we knew that probably Romario Shepherd will bowl or maybe Suyash will bowl, which gives our batters a good chance to hit two sixes in the last over. So yeah, ideally we wouldn't have wanted it to go till the 20th over, but we'll take the win."

David Miller: "Yeah, it feels really good, Pommie. Obviously, to get one from the other night, obviously, I was just a bit disappointed a couple of games ago, but to get myself back in that position was good to get over the line. (was the GT game still on his mind?) Yeah, look, I think it's always going to be there at the back of the mind until you actually win another game. That's our take. And it has been a couple of games, obviously had a week off, so I've worked on a few things, obviously, just, just trying to stay in the moment as well and do what I can. My first six balls, I thought, they were bowling unbelievably well. There were six yorkers to me and I couldn't get going, but, yeah, really chuffed that it came off in the last six balls. No, Dupi (Faf du Plessis), I think, we didn't try and finish it in the second to last over always, but, when you need those.. we needed 40-odd runs in the last four overs, we always knew there was one or two sixes. When you hit a six and then a back-to-back four or six, then, the bowler's always under pressure from there. So it's just trying to limit the dot balls. And then when the boundary ball comes, you kind of capitalise. So it was trying to stay calm, obviously keep communicating with the partner and, yeah, take it as deep as we can. (on the chat with Stubbs when he went out to bat) Well, yeah, batting where I did, there was a lot of stop and starts this game. It felt like, couldn't get going. And then, there was break in play a lot of the time. So, minds were a bit scrambled, but when I walked to the wicket, Stubbo said to me, you just keep your intensity really high. So for me, that obviously helped a lot. You know, just a reminder, which clicked me into a good frame of mind. (on the chat with Stubbs after the game ended) No, it's always good finishing off games with Stubbo. We batted a lot together and, he just said thanks so much, you saved me there. But I thought he batted unbelievably well. Obviously anchored the innings all the way through. He was calm. He's got a great technique and then obviously very powerful. So for him being there was massive for us. And, just coming in where I did, you've got to take the lead and try and be more on the aggressive side. But just job well done. (demons slain now?) Yeah, I think so. Yes, Pom. Yeah, as I said, until I've done it again and it's disappeared, these things come and go. You ride the good with the bad, and, yeah, it's nice to get one over them tonight."

Rajat Patidar | RCB captain: "Yeah, that was really close, but I feel that we were 15-20 runs short. The way we started initially, especially VK bhai and Salt, I think they have given a good start, but from there after, I think 12 or 13 overs, I think we lose wickets in a couple of overs and that put us on the backseat. I think in first inning, that was a bit tacky, I would say. But I think the way we stretched in the last over, I think that's a positive sign for us. But I think I was just discussing with the bowler that be clear whatever you do. I think it's a long tournament, but I think we will go back and introspect where we put the errors and we'll rectify them."

Stats by Shashikant Singh

15 runs today is the second-most DC scored in the 20th over to win a game in the IPL after they scored 17 runs against CSK at Sharjah in 2020.

50-plus scores on their birthday in the IPL
66 (34) - David Warner (SRH) vs DC, Dubai, 2020
61 (51) - KL Rahul (PBKS) vs DC, Wankhede, 2021
57 (34) - KL Rahul (DC) vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2026**
54 (43) - Mike Hussey (CSK) vs KKR, Chennai, 2012

Batting record in successful run-chases in IPL
Tristan Stubbs: 9 inns, 228 runs at 114.0, SR: 136.5, 50/100: 1/0
David Miller: 36 inns, 1087 runs at 98.81, SR: 147.7, 50/100: 6/1
KL Rahul: 30 inns, 1358 runs at 64.66, SR: 148.6, 50s/100s: 14/0

Of the 63 batters who have aggregated at least 500 runs in successful IPL chases, David Miller has the highest average, and KL Rahul has the third-highest.

This is only the third loss for RCB in 11 day games since 2022.

First loss for RCB at Bengaluru after winning five successive IPL games.

RCB at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
1st match - Lost vs KKR (2008)
50th match - Lost vs DD (2016)
100th match - Lost vs DC (2026)

RCB in the green jersey
Mats: 15
Won: 5
Lost: 9
NR: 1
Win%: 35.7

Most 50+ for DC while batting at No.5 or lower
6 - Rishabh Pant
4 - Tristan Stubbs*
3 - Dinesh Karthik
3 - Marcus Stoinis

19:27 Local Time, 13:57 GMT, 19:27 IST: David Miller keeps his cool and does it for DC. He makes amends for his error against GT when he couldn't get 2 off 2. He is hugged by head coach - Hemang Badani. Relief for DC who almost lost another game they were in control of. Earlier Bhuvneshwar was on fire as he took a three-fer in the powerplay. DC were reduced to 18/3. But KL Rahul and the calm and composed Tristan Stubbs got together and got the innings back on track. Rahul batted beautifully and looked set to take his side home but holed out to a good catch by Kohli. Axar played a nice cameo but battled cramps and eventually had to retire hurt. In came Miller and at that phase RCB kept it tight and gave away just 14 off the three overs. It meant 37 were needed off 18 and then it became 15 off 6. Romario started with just two runs off his first two balls but then Miller took over. Gifts from Romario and Miller accepted them with glee to take his side to a win. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff....

1 off 2. Patidar, David and Romario Shepherd have a chat. Will the field come up? No.

7 off 3. Again the game turns. Patidar is chewing on his gum as he looks cool.

13 off 4. DC need a boundary. Patidar making changes.

15 off the last over. Romario to bowl. Or will they give it to Suyash? No it's Romario. He is bowling his first over of the game. Short fine inside. Long-off and long-on back. Sweeper cover and deep mid-wicket I can see.