Rahul, Stubbs lead Delhi Capitals to six-wicket win over RCB

KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs turned a chase that had already begun to fray into one of the most controlled finishes of the IPL season, guiding Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru with one ball to spare at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Delhi finished on 179 for 4 in 19.5 overs after chasing 176 in the 26th match of IPL 2026, a result shaped as much by composure as by shotmaking. In the oppressive Bengaluru heat, one live report put the temperature at 34.77C, and the conditions tested decision-making as much as technique.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru had been given a platform by Phil Salt, who top-scored with 63, but the innings never fully escaped pressure. Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck three times in the power play, removing Pathum Nissanka, Karun Nair and Sameer Rizvi, while Delhi’s spinners also dragged the tempo down. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav conceded only 50 runs across their seven combined overs and took four wickets between them, helping restrict Bengaluru to 175 for 8 when the total could easily have gone higher.

Delhi’s reply was in immediate trouble. Bhuvneshwar’s opening burst left the visitors 18 for 3 inside the first three overs and 50 for 3 in the power play, a position that usually exposes a chase to panic. Instead, Rahul, playing on his birthday, settled the innings with 57 off 34 balls and kept the target within range by resisting the temptation to force the pace too early.

Stubbs then took over with a finish built on control rather than flash. He remained unbeaten on 60 off 47 balls and, with Delhi needing a sharp burst at the end, trusted the batsmen around him to keep the chase from drifting into the final over. David Miller, who had a quiet night until the end, made the decisive intervention with 22 off 10 balls and struck the winning runs.

The finish underlined why this result mattered beyond two points. Delhi’s ability to absorb early damage, manage fatigue in brutal conditions and still close out a high-pressure chase against a major rival away from home pushed them into the top four and reinforced the value of batting depth in a season where pace, patience and judgment are increasingly deciding outcomes.