HIGHLIGHTS Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2026 Match 39 - Result, Scorecard

Welcome back for the chase. The two umpires and players have made their way out to the centre. Jacob Bethell comes in as the Impact Sub for RCB, replacing Suyash Sharma. Bethell walks out to open alongside Virat Kohli. Kyle Jamieson will steam in first up for the home side. Bethell to face the first ball. Here we go!

... THE RUN CHASE ...

RCB eye a quick finish - Axar Patel spoke about the lack of wickets in the Powerplay at the toss, and that being one of the reasons behind bringing in Dushmantha Chameera and Kyle Jamieson. They now have it all to do, to make every run hard-earned for RCB in this chase on what is not that bad a surface to bat on as the Delhi batters made it look. At the same time, RCB will be keen to wrap this up quickly and give their already healthy net run rate an extra boost. Back in a bit for the chase.

Brief resistance - One would have thought Rajat Patidar would bowl out Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood then and there and go for the kill, but he opted against it. A couple of partnerships did develop for the Capitals that helped them avoid the lowest total in IPL history (49 all out for RCB against KKR in 2017). That resistance did not last long, with Abishek Porel running out of partners before Josh Hazlewood sent him packing to complete the clean-up job.

Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar run riot - Before the dust storm paid a visit, it was RCB's new-ball attack that hit DC like a storm. Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not do anything extraordinary, just stuck to simple Test-match lines and lengths. In many ways, DC were architects of their own downfall, with some ordinary shot selection from their batters. With three wickets each for the two RCB quicks inside the first four overs, DC were reduced to 8/6.

A quick chat - Bhuvneshwar Kumar says that the ball is swinging this year, and he feels good about it. Says that when it does, wickets tend to follow. He calls it a good batting wicket but says it was one of those days where things fell their way and they were fortunate to pick up wickets in a heap. Bhuvneshwar admits the movement did surprise even him, but says that only gave them the confidence to keep pushing. He adds that he was happy to get his three overs done up front. Bhuvi highlights that in the last match at this ground, where both sides made huge scores, it made clear that they needed to use whatever conditions were available and take early wickets. Adds that the extra swing was a welcome surprise. On whether he asked for a fourth over, Bhuvneshwar is quick to deny. He says he was tired as it was very hot, and he was more than happy to call it a night at three overs, adding that at his age, he did not want to push himself too hard.

A stark contrast - The Delhi Capitals posted 264 on 25th April against the Punjab Kings, but just 75 tonight. After a bowling effort to forget, they have followed it up with a batting display they would rather not remember. This is the third-lowest total for DC in the history of the IPL.

Josh Hazlewood to Abishek Porel, OUT! BOWLED! DELHI CAPITALS ARE BOWLED OUT ON 75. Hazlewood responds in the most typical way a fast bowler does. At 144 kph, Josh cannons in a pinpoint yorker, landing it right at the base of the middle stump. Abishek Porel bends low and tries to squeeze it out to the off side, but his bat comes after the ball is pitched, and he sees the stumps in an absolute mess behind. Josh Hazlewood ends with a 4-for.

Josh Hazlewood to Abishek Porel, FOUR! PUNISHED! Hits the deck hard, on top of off. Abishek Porel opens his stance, clears the front leg away and flat bats it over the bowler and picks a boundary to the left of long off.

Josh Hazlewood to Abishek Porel, Fractionally full and outside off. Abishek Porel flashes hard at it and gets it sliced on a couple of bounces to deep backward point. He refuses the run.

Suyash Sharma to Dushmantha Chameera, And Chameera survives the last ball. Dishes out a googly, on a length, around off. Dushmantha Chameera gets back and across and tucks it to the mid-wicket region. A WICKET MAIDEN from Suyash to end his spell. 4-1-7-1 are his bowling figures.

Suyash Sharma to Dushmantha Chameera, Outside off, short in length, holds its line. Dushmantha Chameera goes back in the crease and tucks his bat inside the line to leave.

Suyash Sharma to Dushmantha Chameera, A big googly, full and on middle and leg. Dushmantha Chameera gets half forward and wrists it to mid-wicket.

STRATEGIC BREAK! There have been flashes of resistance from DC with a couple of partnerships, but every time they have looked to build, RCB have cut them short. Abishek Porel has so far trusted his partner at the other end, but with just one wicket left, he will have to farm the strike and find a method to take DC past at least 100. First up, though, Dushmantha Chameera has three balls to negotiate. Watch out for the googly from Suyash Sharma...

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, OUT! OUTFOXED! Superb stuff from Suyash to get his first wicket. He lands it around the off stump, on a shortish length and it grips prodigiously back into the batter. Kuldeep Yadav hangs back and looks to whip it across, but ends up playing all around it. The ball beats the inside edge, sneaks through the gap between bat and pad and crashes into the stumps behind. Delhi Capitals are 71/9 after 15.3 overs.

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, Slower through the air, full and on off. Kuldeep leans forward and blocks it out.

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, Too full, outside off, carved away to point off the front foot.

Krunal Pandya to Kuldeep Yadav, Slower through the air, full and on off. Kuldeep slices it to the left of short third for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Abishek Porel, Tossed up, fuller, around off, Abishek Porel dabs it wide of short third for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Abishek Porel, Spotting Abishek advance, Krunal throws it wide outside off and full in length. Porel adjusts well and dabs it to backward point.

Krunal Pandya to Kuldeep Yadav, Very full, on off, Kuldeep guides it through point for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Abishek Porel, Full and on middle at 104.4 kph. Porel dances down the track and tries to flick, but gets an inside edge to short fine leg for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Abishek Porel, Krunal Pandya bangs this into the deck, angling it outside off. Abishek Porel fends it to short third.

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, Pitched short and on middle and leg. Kuldeep Yadav goes deep in the crease to whip it across, but the ball beats the inside edge and deflects to the off side from the thigh pad.

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, WIDE! Oh, dear that was a loose ball from Suyash. Good take by Jitesh, though. Seeing Kuldeep lining up for a reverse sweep, Suyash drags it down the leg side, short in length. Yadav leaves and Jitesh dives low to his right to gather it.

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, Beaten! A touch fuller, pitching it just outside off and turning away from the left-hander. Kuldeep Yadav strides out to defend it down, but the ball beats the outside edge with a big gap.

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, At 96.2 kph, this is darted short and outside off. Kuldeep goes back and stabs the googly to the left of the first slip fielder.

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, Pitches it up, on middle. Kuldeep Yadav prods halfway and defends it back to the bowler.

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, WIDE! Short, but way down the leg side. Kuldeep Yadav makes the leave.

Suyash Sharma to Kuldeep Yadav, A deceptive googly full and outside off. Kuldeep sits down to play the reverse and misses.

Suyash Sharma to Abishek Porel, Pitched full and on middle. Porel leans forward and eases it wide of mid on for a run. With no protection there, Suyash himself sprints to his left and stops the ball.

Krunal Pandya to Abishek Porel, A touch outside off, short in length. Porel cuts it off the back foot to deep point for an easy single.

Krunal Pandya to Abishek Porel, Quicker and short, on middle. Abishek Porel goes back and across and swats it back to the bowler.

Krunal Pandya to Kuldeep Yadav, Very slow, full and on leg, at just 69.5 kph. Kuldeep waits, waits and waits for it to arrive and tucks it gently through backward square leg for a run.

Kuldeep Yadav joins Abishek Porel out in the middle.

Krunal Pandya to Kyle Jamieson, OUT! LBW! Krunal Pandya opens his account now and the slide continues for the Capitals. He bowls a round-arm delivery, on a lower trajectory, on a length, in front of the sticks. Kyle Jamieson is pinned in the crease and tries to work it across but plays all around it and is beaten, being hit on the flap of the back pad. A big shout for LBW and up goes the finger. Kyle Jamieson first starts walking away, but after having a word with Porel, he goes upstairs for a review. Nothing on UltraEdge and the Ball Tracking shows that the ball is projected to clip the top of the middle pole. It is umpire's call, and the on-field decision is upheld. Kyle Jamieson has to walk back, and DC are 62/8.

Krunal Pandya to Abishek Porel, Dropped short, on middle. Porel hangs deep in the crease and drags it to long on for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Abishek Porel, Starts with a short ball, does Krunal. Around off and Porel cuts it off the back foot to deep backward point. Romario Shepherd sprints to his right from deep cover and cuts it off. Two taken.

Suyash Sharma to Kyle Jamieson, Stump-to-stump line, skids and stays low on a length. Kyle Jamieson is hurried on the back foot and somehow manages to tuck it to mid-wicket.

Suyash Sharma to Kyle Jamieson, Drags the length back by a couple of yards, on off. Kyle Jamieson rocks back and bunts it back to the bowler.

Suyash Sharma to Kyle Jamieson, Nice and full, around off. Kyle decides to commit on the back foot and punches it to cover.

Suyash Sharma to Kyle Jamieson, Now the googly, a touch short on middle. Kyle Jamieson gets back and across to nudge it to the leg side but inside edges onto the thigh pad.

Suyash Sharma to Kyle Jamieson, Beaten! Sharp leg break, short and outside off. Kyle Jamieson shapes to cut it away, but gets beaten as the ball fizzes past his outside edge.

Suyash Sharma to Kyle Jamieson, Wide! Drifts down leg, on a length, Jamieson misses out on the glance.

Suyash Sharma to Kyle Jamieson, Full and on leg, Jamieson flicks it a bit uppishly to square leg.

Romario Shepherd to Kyle Jamieson, On a length, outside off, Kyle Jamieson punches it to extra cover, where Devdutt Padikkal gets a bit of a bad bounce and he concedes a single. He takes a blow on the shin as well and hobbles a bit.

Romario Shepherd to Kyle Jamieson, This is on a hard length, on off, Kyle Jamieson gets his hands high and taps it to cover.

Romario Shepherd to Kyle Jamieson, FOUR! Nicely played! On a hard length this time, on middle, not much movement on the delivery. Kyle Jamieson stays on his back foot and just rolls his wrists to flick it from the toe end of the bat, through mid-wicket for four runs.

Romario Shepherd to Kyle Jamieson, This is on a length and on off. Jamieson punches it nicely to mid off.

Romario Shepherd to Kyle Jamieson, SIX! KABOOM! Romario Shepherd bangs this one hard on the deck to offer a shorter delivery, on middle. Kyle Jamieson hangs back and pulls it up and over deep square leg for half a dozen. DC bring up their 50 and have avoided the unwanted record of the lowest total in IPL history, which still belongs to RCB - 49 all out in 2017 against KKR.

Romario Shepherd to Abishek Porel, Full-length delivery, on leg, Abishek Porel flicks it through square leg and gets a single.

Halfway reached. DC are 46/7, searching for some kind of momentum to get back on track. Romario Shepherd is brought back on. Went for 9 runs in his only over so far.

Suyash Sharma to Abishek Porel, Dropped short by Suyash, on middle and leg. Abishek Porel presses on the back foot quickly and whips it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket, where Devdutt Padikkal mops it up. Porel keeps the strike with a single.

Another stoppage, this time for Porel, who appears to have gotten something in his left eye, likely some dust particles, given the conditions. Jitesh comes to his aid, with Venkatesh Iyer also joining in to help. Porel gets sorted and is good to go.

Suyash Sharma to Abishek Porel, Beaten! At 88.1 kph, it is the wrong'un again, bowled with a flatter trajectory, on off. Abishek Porel flashes at it, but the ball zips through and the batter fails to connect.

Suyash Sharma to Kyle Jamieson, Serves the googly but this is on the shorter side, on middle. Kyle Jamieson picks it from the hand and clips it through square leg. They cross.

Suyash Sharma to Abishek Porel, Floated up, on off. Abishek Porel lunges and plays it with a straight bat to long off for a single.

Halt again. The on-field umpires converge again to have a chat. There is still a fair bit of wind gusting across the ground, but the decision is made to continue.

Suyash Sharma to Abishek Porel, A bit of a mix-up but no harm done. Flighted delivery, full and on off, Abishek gets on the front and eases it to the right of cover. Porel is keen for a single but is sent back by Jamieson.

Suyash Sharma to Abishek Porel, Beats the bat straight away! Suyash begins with a googly, on a length, landing outside the line of the leg stump. Porel pushes out in front and looks to play it with the turn with a closed bat face, expecting it to be a leg break. The ball beats him on the outside edge and misses the off stump by a whisker.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Just when the recovery was well and truly on for DC, they lose Miller. With him gone, only Porel remains as their established batter on the crease. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood first unleashed the finest new-ball spell by blowing DC's top and middle order, which put the hosts on the mat. What a contrast it has been from the previous game, when runs were being smashed for fun. Kyle Jamieson is the new batter in for the Capitals. Oh, suddenly a dust storm has started blowing across the ground, and there is a bit of a halt for things to settle. It's gone hazy out there as well. Rajat Patidar is in talks with both the on-field umpires, with Jitesh Sharma also joining the conversation. Not quite sure what that is about, though. Seems like we are good to go now. Suyash Sharma is introduced into the attack now, replacing Romario Shepherd.

Rasikh Salam to David Miller, OUT! CAUGHT! The commentator's curse strikes. Sunil Gavaskar just said on air after the previous ball that a recovery is in effect for DC, and the very next ball, David Miller falls. Salam stays around the wicket and bangs it into the wicket, over off. Miller swivels and looks to play more of a short-arm jab off the back foot. He is slightly early into the shot, and it is skied off the top edge of the bat beside the strip on the off side. The keeper, Jitesh Sharma calls for it as he runs in and does the rest. The 35-run stand has been broken. DC are 43/7 with one end up now open for RCB as they are into the tail.

Rasikh Salam to David Miller, FOUR! Change of pace once again, but it didn't go according to Salam's plan. Slower one again, pitching it up, on middle. David Miller gently lofts it over the head of the bowler and gets four more runs.

Rasikh Salam to David Miller, Takes pace off and angles it into the left-hander, on a length. Miller clips it to mid-wicket.

Rasikh Salam to David Miller, On a good length, pitching outside off, David Miller nudges it to the short mid-wicket fielder.

Rasikh Salam to David Miller, FOUR! Short and punished! Salam attempts the bumper, but this sits up to be hit, just outside the off stump. David Miller stays on his back foot and pulls it across the line towards the left of the deep mid-wicket fielder for four runs.

Rasikh Salam to Abishek Porel, Rasikh Salam starts with a slower one, pitching on middle and angling in. Abishek Porel clips it uppishly toward the left of mid on and gets a single.

Romario Shepherd to David Miller, Decent finish after being hit for a four on the first ball. Straight on the stumps, full in length, Miller watchfully blocks back. 9 runs from Shepherd's first.

Romario Shepherd to Abishek Porel, Slanted in and around off, full in length. Abishek Porel works it down to long on for a single.

Romario Shepherd to Abishek Porel, Length ball, around the leg stump line. Abishek Porel pulls it aerially and on the bounce and to the right of Bhuvneshwar Kumar at deep square leg for a couple of runs.

Romario Shepherd to David Miller, Length ball, on middle and leg, Miller nudges it to deep mid-wicket for another run. And with this, David Miller completes 12,000 T20 runs.

Romario Shepherd to Abishek Porel, A skiddy delivery, on a length, on middle. Porel pulls it to deep square leg for a run. Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets across to his right and stops it.

Romario Shepherd to Abishek Porel, FOUR! Nicely done! Shepherd starts with a bit of loosener, short of a length, on middle and leg. Porel hangs back and uses his wrists to pull it behind square on the leg side for a boundary.

A double change from Rajat Patidar as he brings on Romario Shepherd.

Rasikh Salam to Abishek Porel, Skids through from a length, on off. Abishek Porel is hurried on the back foot and heaves it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single. With 12 runs coming off the over, this is the most expensive over of the evening so far.

Rasikh Salam to David Miller, Pulls the length back, on middle, Miller plays off the back foot and steers it to deep square leg for a single.

Rasikh Salam to David Miller, FOUR! Lovely shot! Didn't try to overhit it. Scrambled-seam, full and just around off. David Miller leans on it and times the drive between cover and mid off for a crisp boundary.

Rasikh Salam to Abishek Porel, Hard length, at 132.9 kph, on off. Porel looks to punch it off the back foot to the off side, but inside edges past the leg stump and the ball keeps rolling away to fine leg for a single.

Rasikh Salam to Abishek Porel, FOUR! Crisp hit! Hard length, on middle and nipping back in a bit. Porel stands tall, swivels and pulls it to deep square leg for a boundary.

Rasikh Salam to David Miller, Angled at the pads from around the stump. David Miller whips the full ball to deep mid-wicket's left for a single.

Complete dominance from RCB in the Powerplay. One would have expected Bhuvneshwar Kumar to bowl four on the trot, but he has been replaced by Rasikh Salam.

Josh Hazlewood to Abishek Porel, Smidge fuller, on middle. Porel bunts it back to the bowler. And Danny Morrison on air informs a stat which DC fans won't like. With just 13/6 on the board after 6 overs, this is the lowest Powerplay score in the history of the IPL.

Josh Hazlewood to Abishek Porel, A projectile from Hazlewood! Slams the deck really hard, on middle, slanting back in. Abishek Porel arches back and drops his wrists to leave.

Josh Hazlewood to Abishek Porel, Much closer to the off pole, on a back of a length. Porel opens the bat face and steers it to backward point.

Josh Hazlewood to Abishek Porel, BEATEN! A peach. Just outside off, on a good length, and it rears up to beat Abishek's attempted back foot square cut by a whisker.

Josh Hazlewood to David Miller, Bangs it at 144.8 kph, a touch short and angling in from off. David Miller hops in the crease and dinks it through square leg for a single.

Josh Hazlewood to Abishek Porel, Hits the hard length, around off. Porel rises on the toes and dabs it wide of backward point for a single.

49 all out -  That's the lowest IPL score, an unwanted record against Royal Challengers Bengaluru's name since 2017, and they will want to happily gift it away to Delhi Capitals this evening. Can they?

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Miller, Nice and full, on middle, nipping away. David closes the bat face early to flick but gets a leading edge to the off side as the ball rolls to cover.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Miller, And now, nearly a run out! It's all happening out there. Back of a length, at the pads. David Miller tucks it to deep backward square leg and calls for two. The fielder picks and throws at the bowling end, but misses and Abishek Porel is forced to dive to get in. A direct hit would have been close.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Miller, Touch fuller, on off, kicks up a bit as well. David Miller fends it down the pitch.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Miller, At 133.4 kph, this is on a length, on leg. Miller turns it to mid-wicket.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Miller, Around the stump. On a length, on off. Miller blocks it off the back foot.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Miller, Oh, almost carried! Around the off stump, nipping away on a fuller length. David Miller prods forward to block, but the ball leaves him and takes the outside edge. It drops short of Devdutt Padikkal at first slip.

Josh Hazlewood to David Miller, Josh bashes the hard length, on off. Miller gets on his toes and rides the bounce to dab it behind point for a single.

A belter for batters? Nah. This one's proving to be a landmine for the ones with the bat. Absolutely phenomenal stuff from the new-ball duo of RCB. David Miller is the next batter in at number 8.

Josh Hazlewood to Nitish Rana, OUT! CAUGHT! Nitish Rana bites the dust now. Hazlewood bends his back and goes short this time, under the left armpit. Rana fails to react quickly and leaves his bat hanging around his chest as he tries to fend it off. He takes his eyes off the ball, and it climbs onto him. It balloons off the gloves behind the wicket on the off side, where Devdutt Padikkal moves to his left from slip and snaffles it with ease.

Josh Hazlewood to Nitish Rana, Hazlewood changes his angle of attack as he comes from around the wicket. At 141.2 kph, just outside the off stump. Rana lets it be.

Josh Hazlewood to Nitish Rana, Full and straight, attacking the stumps. Rana brings his bat out in front and blocks it off watchfully.

Josh Hazlewood to Nitish Rana, The fielders are throwing their bodies around to back up the bowlers. Fuller and angling away. Rana presses forward and plays a punchy drive. He times it sweetly but can't get it past Krunal Pandya at point. Krunal dives to his left and saves a certain boundary. He parries it towards the man at cover.

Josh Hazlewood to Nitish Rana, Moving away off the seam, on a back of a length. Nitish Rana shoulders arms.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Abishek Porel, Bhuvi switches back to over the wicket and gets the ball to curve back in, very full, on middle. Abishek digs it out watchfully on the leg side.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Abishek Porel, Wide! This swings way down leg, Porel misses out on the flick. Jitesh Sharma flings himself to his right and makes a top save.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Abishek Porel, Fine stop! Slightly fuller and shaping back in, on off. Porel extends his hands and cuts it hard towards backward point. Josh Hazlewood is in really tight there and he dives to his left to make the stop.

16 balls. All that has taken RCB to dismiss half the side of DC. The hosts are forced to use their Impact Sub option as Abishek Porel walks in at number 7. Sahil Parakh is subbed out.

Sahil Parakh is substituted by Abishek Porel

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Axar Patel, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Off the edge this time, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar has his third wicket. Unbelievable scenes in Delhi. DC are 7/5 inside 3 overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar sticks to the line around the left-hander's off stump and keeps it on a good length. Axar looks to cover the line and keep it out on the off side. The ball skids through and does not rise as much as the DC skipper anticipated. It grazes the toe of the blade before going behind to the keeper. Jitesh Sharma leans forward and gets his gloves out in front to scoop the catch cleanly with his gloves under the ball.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Axar Patel, Did it go off the bat? The appeal for a caught behind has been turned down by the umpire. There was a noise and RCB are going upstairs. Tailing back in sharply towards the off stump. Patel gets the front pad out of the way and jams his bat down. The replays show that there is a daylight gap between the bat and the ball. No need for UltraEdge, says the third umpire. The noise was actually of the bat hitting the turf. RCB lose a review. Oh, hang on. The UltraEdge later comes up and shows that there is a spike, not of the edge, but of the ball grazing the off stump.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Axar Patel, From around the wicket now to the left-hander, just outside off, on a good length. Axar lets it be.

Couldn't be a better start for any team than this. In walks the DC captain, Axar Patel, at number 6.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Tristan Stubbs, OUT! CAUGHT! A nothing shot from Tristan Stubbs, and he pays the ultimate price. RCB's new ball attack is all over DC like a rash. A seam-up ball by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, on a good length, curving away a touch. Stubbs has a waft at the ball with a straightish blade, well away from his body. The ball leaves him to take the outside edge, and Devdutt Padikkal at a slightly wide slip takes the catch around his left thigh. Two wickets for Hazlewood and now two to Bhuvi's name too. DC are 7/4 in 2.1 overs.

Josh Hazlewood to Nitish Rana, Goes past the bat! Leaving the left-hander with the angle, on a nagging length. A tentative prod at the ball by Nitish, and he is lucky not to nick this one behind. A double strike and 5 runs from Hazlewood's first over.

Josh Hazlewood to Nitish Rana, Across off at 141.9 kph, on a good length. Rana presents a straight bat for the block but is late in doing so. The ball brushes the toe end of the blade and dribbles to short third.

Josh Hazlewood to Tristan Stubbs, Full and outside off, Stubbs leans into the drive nicely and knocks it wide of mid off. Rajat Patidar moves to his left and slides to cut it off. Just a single.

Josh Hazlewood to Tristan Stubbs, FOUR! Stubbs is up and running! Hazlewood looks to attack the front pad but ends up being a little too straight. Stubbs brings his bat out in front and plays a wristy flick between mid-wicket and mid on for a boundary.

Excellent, precise bowling from Hazlewood. He is on a Hat Trick. The Capitals are on the mat already and need some stability. Tristan Stubbs is in at number 5.

Josh Hazlewood to Sameer Rizvi, OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! Two in two for Josh Hazlewood and RCB have made a commanding start to the game. Hazlewood bowls it fuller this time and outside off. Rizvi's eyes light up as he sees the width on offer. His feet go nowhere and he goes for the expansive drive well away from his body. The ball takes the feather of an outside edge and Jitesh Sharma gobbles it up. A golden duck for Rizvi. A bit of lean patch continues for him after a promising start to the tournament.

That was a rare loose shot from KL Rahul, especially this early in the innings. RCB on the top, DC under pressure. Sameer Rizvi is in at number 4.

Josh Hazlewood to KL Rahul, OUT! STRAIGHT UP AND GONE! Josh Hazlewood strikes with his first ball and DC have been rocked early. Dug in short by Hazlewood, around the right shoulder. Rahul swivels and tries to take it on, but the ball gets big on him and he fails to get on top of the bounce. It is skied off a top edge behind the stumps on the leg side. The keeper, Jitesh Sharma, runs forward and calls others out of the way. Settles under it and does the rest. An unbeaten 152 on Saturday, and just 1 tonight. The game truly is a great leveller. The Capitals are 2/2 in 1.1 overs.

Top-drawer start by Bhuvi. Got the ball moving in and out on a belter. Josh Hazlewood will bowl from the opposite end. A slip in place with a very fine short third as well to KL Rahul.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nitish Rana, Great start from Bhuvi. Switches to around the wicket and serves it on a length, in the channel on off. This shapes away, and Rana makes a watchful leave. A wicket and just 2 runs from the first over.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to KL Rahul, This hoops back in again, on the fuller side, on middle. KL stays back and helps it down to deep fine leg for a single to open his account.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to KL Rahul, Brings it back into the right-hander and the length is pulled back, over off. Rahul hangs back and watchfully defends with a straight bat.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nitish Rana, Goes searching for that inswinging yorker again but this is not as full as the previous ball, in line with the off stump. Rana leans forward and pushes it wide of mid off. Rajat Patidar moves to his right but lets it through, and Nitish gets off the mark with a single.

Bhuvneshwar sets the marker with a peach. There was very little Sahil could do on that. Nitish Rana, the man in form, is in at number 3.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Sahil Parakh, OUT! CASTLED! An absolute ripper from Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Too good a ball for even the best of batters, let alone this 18-year-old debutant. A two-ball duck for Sahil Parakh on debut. Kumar nails the yorker, this swings back in late at the toes. Parakh hurriedly drops his bat down, but is beaten on the inside edge, and the ball brushes the back pad before uprooting the middle pole.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Sahil Parakh, Off the edge! Pushed across the left-hander at 134.2 kph, on a good length, Parakh pushes at the ball with hard hands. There is a slip in place but the ball evades that man and goes on the bounce to Josh Hazlewood at short third.

In all readiness for Match 39 to get underway. It's Monday, but the stands are jam-packed as supporters for both sides have flocked in large numbers. There is a dust storm warning in Delhi NCR during match hours owing to a Western Disturbance, but let's hope for the best. The two umpires walk out to the middle. KL Rahul walks out with his new opening partner, Sahil Parakh, who is making his IPL debut. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the new ball, and Sahil Parakh will face the first ball. Here we go!

Impact subs nominated by RCB - Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Vicky Ostwal and Venkatesh Iyer.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Unchanged Playing XI) - Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma and Rasikh Salam.

Impact subs nominated by DC - Auqib Nabi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Tripurana Vijay and Abishek Porel.

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI) - Sahil Parakh (On IPL debut) (In for Pathum Nissanka), KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (C), Dushmantha Chameera (In for Mukesh Kumar), Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan and Kyle Jamieson (On DC debut) (In for Lungi Ngidi).

Continue putting in the hard yards - The skipper of the Delhi Capitals, Axar Patel says they would have bowled first as well. Adds that night games here tend to be high-scoring, and considering the last game and the dimensions of the ground, chasing is the better option. Axar shares that after the last game, the talk was about the positives and what they could have done better. Further says that had they taken their chances, the result could have been different. Patel believes that games come thick and fast in the IPL, so it is important to stay mentally strong and not let the previous game affect you. Informs that they have made three changes with Sahil Parakh, Kyle Jamieson and Dushmantha Chameera coming into the side. The DC captain explains the reason behind the team changes, saying they have lacked wickets in the Powerplay and feel the need for overseas options to strengthen that area.

A no-brainer to bowl first - The captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajat Patidar notes that it's a pretty high-scoring ground and they want to put DC under pressure while chasing. Says it won't change a lot throughout. On what attributes have made RCB succeed, Rajat points to different players stepping up in different matches and doing the job for the team. Patidar says they have played good cricket in the first half of the tournament, and the focus is simply on carrying that momentum forward into the second half. On the talk of revenge after their last meeting against the Delhi Capitals, Patidar is a bit dismissive, saying that it's all in the past and everyone is here to play good cricket. About the team combination, Rajat informs that they are going unchanged for this game.

TOSS - The two captains are all set for the flip of the coin. Axar Patel has won all 7 tosses this season. Rajat Patidar calls it correctly and ends that streak. Royal Challengers Bengaluru elect to BOWL first.

Words from the RCB camp - Devdutt Padikkal says he is really looking forward to the contest, adding that the last game against this opposition was a close one and RCB will be looking to make things right this time around. On the conscious effort to increase his strike-rate, he admits it has very much been his focus, noting that keeping the momentum of the innings going is the norm these days and something he is actively working on. About what those efforts are, he details that it has been a mixture of things, the technical adjustments he has made to his game, combined with a mental shift of simply believing he can score at a high strike rate. He stresses that contributing to the team's cause consistently is what matters most to him. On batting in Delhi, Padikkal calls it a really flat wicket and says he is hopeful there will be plenty of runs on the board.

Debut alert - 18-year-old left-handed batter Sahil Parakh has been handed his maiden cap by KL Rahul in the DC huddle. There is another debutant for the Capitals tonight, with the tall Kiwi pacer, Kyle Jamieson, all set to make his debut as well.

A quick word with DC's star batter - Tristan Stubbs says he is loving the vibe with his teammates and having a blast with them. Tells that they have put their last meeting with the Punjab Kings behind them and are focused on giving their best today. On batting in this stadium, Stubbs says that he feels comfortable batting here, having played a couple of matches. Mentions that his strategy is to aim for the shorter side to hit boundaries. Tristan ends by acknowledging that they have dropped too many catches and need to do better on that front.

PITCH REPORT - Danny Morrison and Eoin Morgan are pitchside, inspecting the conditions in Delhi. About the dimensions, he first points out that this is not the biggest stadium in India and then informs that he is standing on the centre wicket. Says the square boundaries are equidistant at 63 meters, and the straight hit is 73 meters. He says it comes as no surprise that a record score was posted at this ground in the last match and then successfully chased down as well. Eoin Morgan takes one look at the surface and calls it a batter's paradise. He makes a fascinating observation about the 6-to-8 meter length. Details that on most flat wickets, that is a bowler's best friend, but at this ground, batters cash in on precisely that length, which says everything about just how loaded the conditions are in favour of the batters. Morgan notes that the surface looks slightly drier than usual, particularly on the key lengths, with the soil appearing flat and parched in patches. Whether the pitch offers turn for the spinners or allows pacers to work their slower deliveries, he says, will be one of the key things to watch out for. Morrison signs off with a laugh, wishing all the bowlers the very best of luck.

Firepower on show - Exactly a year ago, these two sides squared off right here in Delhi, where RCB came out on top, but earlier this season in Bengaluru, DC prevailed. Saturday's game in Delhi produced an aggregate of 529 runs, and the scars will still be fresh for the DC bowling unit. With RCB boasting heavy firepower, will we witness another run-fest tonight? Join us on the ride to find out.

RCB on the prowl - The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have firmly stamped their authority in defence of their title. With 5 wins in 7 games, including 4 from 5 at home, they now hit the road. That should not worry them too much, though, as they were exceptional away from home last season, winning 7 of their 8 league games on the road.

DC chasing that early spark - The Delhi Capitals began their campaign strongly with two wins on the bounce, but a dramatic loss in what looked like an unlosable game against the Gujarat Titans halted their momentum. Since then, things have not quite clicked, with just 1 win in their last 5 matches. As Delhi begin the second half of their campaign, they will be keen to reset and rediscover their early rhythm.

Hello and a warm welcome - The capital is set for a blockbuster as the Delhi Capitals take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Saturday here gave us a game for the ages, with Punjab Kings pulling off the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket, and we are back, hoping for another special night.

... MATCH DAY ...

Back to Kotla - The IPL 2026 reverse fixtures are here, and if the first half was any indication, buckle up. This league has spent the last week making a complete mockery of the word impossible. Targets were chased like they were suggestions. Catches were grassed like the fielders had collectively decided generosity was a virtue. And the sixes, well, there were so many that scoreboards probably needed a breather. If you were a batter last week, life was good. If you were a bowler, you would probably reconsider your career choices. Match 39 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium is next on the menu, and it has all the ingredients for another evening where the bowlers earn every sympathy they can get. Delhi Capitals host Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and the two sides could not be arriving in more contrasting moods. Both teams have completed half of their journeys in this season and will look to build on the momentum. The journeys so far - If there is a way to describe heartbreak, Delhi Capitals can be the best storytellers in the league. Not the quiet, dignified kind either. The kind that sits with you, replays on a loop, and refuses to leave. Against Punjab Kings in the northern derby, they built what should have been an impenetrable fortress of a total, the sort of score you look at and think, no, not today. And yet, somehow, Punjab walked through the front door and made themselves right at home. RCB, on the other hand, have lost just two of their seven matches and are sitting pretty in the upper echelons of the points table. What stands out about this side is their mental makeup and the character they have shown so far. They have not let a defeat bleed into the next game, not once. Every time they have fallen, they have come back stronger. Searching for resurrection - The Capitals will be playing their fourth home game this year. They haven’t had a great time in their own backyard, losing two of three so far. You have got to feel for KL Rahul. Despite a record breaking 152*, his efforts were washed due to lackadaisical bowling and fielding efforts. If anything, DC will need to bring an inspirational comeback to the table through their bowling unit. In seven games, DC have conceded 200-plus on four occasions, regardless of whether they batted or bowled first. That is a pattern, and patterns do not fix themselves. To make matters concerning, Lungi Ngidi is highly unlikely to feature here after suffering a nasty head injury while attempting a catch against Punjab. He was stretchered off with a neck brace, and while he is doing well, he needs time. Mitchell Starc remains in rehab, managing shoulder and elbow injuries, and his return has no clear timeline either, which makes the DC bowling attack look pretty thin. That leaves Mukesh Kumar as their lead bowling option, and even he has been far from convincing. He too, hasn’t been spared and has been on the expensive side of things, conceding 108 runs in his last 8 overs across two games, and concerningly, wicketless. Spin-wise, the duo of Axar and Kuldeep have both picked 7 wickets apiece so far, but the penetration in that middle over phase has been missing due to inconsistency. But the kind of spinners they are is always a luxury to have for any team. But it is high time that they bring their A-game to the table, being the leading DC wicket-takers in Delhi in the current squad as well. Another KL special loading? In the scorching Delhi heat, KL Rahul produced one of the finest knocks this format has ever seen. The 152 not out made him the only Indian to breach the 150-run mark in IPL history, and just the third player overall to do so. He has been in the form of his life, and against RCB, he is a different beast altogether. An average of 95.5, 191 runs against them, and a hunger that does not seem to be going anywhere. If anything, Kotla and RCB is about as good a combination as Rahul could ask for. Pathum Nissanka, though, is a different story. He began the season with real promise, but the last three games have been a quiet 20 runs in total. A return to form at the right end of the season would do Delhi a world of good. The positives, and there are some, start with Nitish Rana. He has rediscovered his touch at exactly the right moment, back-to-back fifties that have made his number three spot look very much his own again. And beyond him, the middle order blokes have all put their hands up when given the opportunity.Chase master’s homecoming - If KL Rahul marked his territory in Bengaluru, it’s Virat Kohli who will be back at the venue he grew up playing cricket. In Delhi, he has scored the most number of runs for RCB. In 11 matches, he has 7 fifties at this ground in the IPL, and with 534 runs, he averages 66.75. It is hard to keep Kohli away from the Orange Cap race when he is in full flow and he masterful 81 against GT in the previous game just showed how crucial his presence is during run chases. He is the only RCB batter this year to have crossed the 300-run mark with three half centuries and counting. Working in sync - RCB brought in young Jacob Bethell to open alongside Kohli, and they might as well stick to that plan. Salt has not yet recovered from the injury he picked up during net sessions before the GT game, so Bethell gets more game time, and that is no bad thing for the talented youngster. Beyond the openers, there are no real alarms in this batting unit just as yet. Padikkal, Patidar and Tim David bring a blend of touch and muscle to the middle order that gives RCB genuine depth. Padikkal has been one of their standouts, back-to-back fifties to start, a brief dip, and then a third fifty last time out that confirmed he is very much back in the groove. Skipper Patidar, after a couple of single-digit scores, will be itching to make his mark here. Bowling-wise, Rasikh Salam had walked off midway due to a muscle strain against the Titans. So if he is not fit enough to take the field against DC, RCB could consider the likes of Mangesh Yadav who are waiting in the wings to get a chance. Apart from this setback, the Royal Challengers’ bowlers have reciprocated their batting dominance. Bhuvneshwar Kumar continues to be frugal as he ever is, whereas while Hazlewood has gone for a few too many runs in the last couple of games, one just cannot discount the threat level he brings to the table. Team form (Last 5 completed IPL matches, recent first) DC - LLWLL | RCB - WLWWL. What to expect? The Arun Jaitley Stadium has been a batter's paradise this IPL. Chasing teams have won two of the three games here, and just last time out, a mammoth 265 was hunted down without too much fuss. Small boundaries, a flat surface, and another warm Delhi evening. All signs point to another high-scoring contest. The head-to-head between these two sides adds another layer of interest. In their last six meetings, neither team has been allowed to string back-to-back wins, the result alternating each time like clockwork. And the team chasing has won four of the last five between them, which fits perfectly with what this ground has been offering. DC did beat RCB in the first fixture at Chinnaswamy earlier this season, but the overall numbers favour the visitors. RCB lead the head-to-head 20-13, and even in Delhi, they have the edge, winning seven of eleven games at this ground. History points RCB's way. But Delhi are at home once again, wounded, and looking for redemption. Can Axar’s men do the double over Patidar’s troops? Or will the defending champions continue ‘playing bold’? That makes for a very interesting evening in the Indian national capital.