The Delhi Capitals defeated the Rajasthan Royals by 5 wickets in Match 62 of IPL 2026 on Sunday night at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Delhi successfully chased down a target of 193, finishing at 197/5 with four balls remaining to stay mathematically alive in the playoff race. The result breaks a five-match home losing streak for Delhi in New Delhi and leaves the Royals stuck in fifth place with 12 points, tightening the standings for mid-table franchises like the Punjab Kings, Chennai Super Kings, and Gujarat Titans.
Rajasthan initially looked positioned for a large total, cruising to 160/2 after 14 overs. Captain Riyan Parag hit a rapid 51 off 26 balls while Dhruv Jurel added 53 off 40. The innings collapsed when Mitchell Starc claimed three wickets in a crucial 15th over, dismissing both Parag and Donovan Ferreira. Starc finished with a four-wicket haul that restricted Rajasthan to 193/8, setting up the 5-wicket victory for the Capitals.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Parag sharply criticized his squad for squandering their early advantage. He noted the team should have posted a score between 220 and 230.
“If we keep on playing like this, we shouldn’t be in contention for the top 4,” Parag said.
Parag also defended his mid-innings decision to bowl part-timer Donovan Ferreira in the 18th over, a move that yielded 16 runs and relieved pressure on the Capitals. He explained the decision was a calculated risk against left-handers, though according to a Times of India report analyzing the gamble on Donovan Ferreira’s bowling, he admitted the tactic did not work out.
Delhi’s successful chase relied heavily on half-centuries from KL Rahul, who scored 56 off 42 deliveries, and Abishek Porel, who added 51 off 31. Ashutosh Sharma secured the win in the final over by hitting a six off Adam Milne.
During the innings, Rahul broke AB de Villiers’ all-time IPL record of eight by registering his ninth fifty-plus score against the Rajasthan Royals.