Punjab Kings pulled off one of the greatest chases in IPL history, consequently hunting down 265 in just 18.5 overs to beat Delhi Capitals by 6 wickets in IPL 2026 Match 35 at Delhi on April 25, 2026. Although KL Rahul‘s extraordinary 152* off 67 balls (16 fours, 9 sixes) set up 264/2, PBKS smashed it with 7 balls to spare.
Prabhsimran Singh‘s devastating 76 off 26 balls (9 fours, 5 sixes) and Shreyas Iyer‘s unbeaten 71 off 36 (3 fours, 7 sixes) ultimately powered the chase. Despite his record-breaking knock, Rahul therefore earned POTM and Cricinfo MVP (117.19 points) in a losing cause.
Match Summary
| Details | Info |
|---|---|
| DC Score | 264/2 (20 overs) |
| PBKS Score | 265/4 (18.5 overs) |
| Result | PBKS won by 6 wickets (7 balls remaining) |
| Venue | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| Date | April 25, 2026 (Day/Night Match) |
| Best Batter (DC) | KL Rahul – 152* off 67 balls |
| Best Batter (PBKS) | Prabhsimran Singh – 76 off 26 balls |
| Best Bowler (PBKS) | Kuldeep Yadav – 2/46 in 4 overs |
| Best Bowler (DC) | Axar Patel – 1/44 in 4 overs |
| Player of the Match | KL Rahul (DC) |
DC Innings: 264/2 in 20 Overs
Pathum Nissanka (11 off 7) initially gave DC a quick start with 2 fours. However, Arshdeep Singh dismissed him at 28/1 (2.4 overs), caught behind by Prabhsimran. That consequently brought KL Rahul and Nitish Rana together for what became one of the greatest partnerships in IPL history.
Rahul reached his fifty off just 26 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes), because he was timing the ball to perfection from the start. Furthermore, DC raced to 68/1 in the powerplay and then 100 in 9.6 overs (60 balls).
The Record-Breaking Rahul-Rana Partnership
Nitish Rana also matched Rahul’s aggression throughout, since he brought up his own fifty off 29 balls (7 fours, 1 six). Together, the pair consequently added 220 runs for the second wicket, which was undoubtedly one of the highest partnership totals of IPL 2026.
Meanwhile, Rahul blasted his century off just 47 balls (12 fours, 5 sixes) and then crossed 150 off 66 balls (16 fours, 9 sixes). DC also crossed 200 in 15.3 overs (94 balls) and subsequently reached 250 in 18.4 overs (113 balls).
Rana eventually fell at 248/2 (18.3 overs), caught by Iyer off Xavier Bartlett for 91 off 44 (11 fours, 4 sixes). Despite that, Rahul still finished unbeaten on 152 off 67 at SR 226.86. Consequently, DC posted a mammoth 264/2.
DC Top Performers with the Bat
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s/6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KL Rahul † | 152* | 67 | 16 / 9 | 226.86 |
| Nitish Rana | 91 | 44 | 11 / 4 | 206.81 |
| Pathum Nissanka | 11 | 7 | 2 / 0 | 157.14 |
PBKS Bowling: Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 4 | 42 | 0 | 10.50 |
| Marco Jansen | 4 | 45 | 0 | 11.25 |
| Arshdeep Singh | 4 | 49 | 1 | 12.25 |
Fall of Wickets: 1-28 (Nissanka, 2.4), 2-248 (Rana, 18.3)
PBKS Chase: 265/4 in 18.5 Overs
If DC’s innings was spectacular, PBKS’s reply was essentially even more insane. Priyansh Arya (43 off 17) and Prabhsimran Singh (76 off 26) subsequently launched the most destructive opening partnership of IPL 2026.
The pair raced to 50 in just 2.5 overs (17 balls) and then 100 in 5.2 overs (33 balls). In fact, they put on a staggering 116/0 in the powerplay, which was consequently a record for the season. Prabhsimran was especially brutal, because he smashed his fifty off just 18 balls (3 fours, 5 sixes) at SR 292.30.
However, Axar Patel eventually dismissed Arya at 126/1 (6.5 overs), caught by Sameer Rizvi. Then Kuldeep Yadav also removed Prabhsimran at 132/2 (7.3 overs) lbw and Cooper Connolly (17 off 10) at 145/3 (9.2 overs). Consequently, PBKS lost 3 wickets for 19 runs.
Shreyas Iyer Takes Over the Chase
Shreyas Iyer then walked in and immediately took charge. Along with impact sub Nehal Wadhera (25 off 15), he added 56 runs for the fourth wicket. Iyer reached his fifty off 26 balls (2 fours, 5 sixes), since he particularly targeted the spinners with brutal efficiency.
Wadhera eventually fell at 201/4 (14.3 overs), caught by sub fielder Karun Nair off Vipraj Nigam. Despite that setback, Iyer was already in complete control because PBKS had also crossed 200 in 14.2 overs (87 balls).
Shashank Singh (19* off 10) then joined Iyer and they subsequently closed out the chase. PBKS also crossed 250 in 17.4 overs (107 balls) and ultimately sealed the win in 18.5 overs. Iyer finished unbeaten on 71 off 36 (3 fours, 7 sixes) at SR 197.22.
PBKS Top Performers with the Bat
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s/6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prabhsimran Singh † | 76 | 26 | 9 / 5 | 292.30 |
| Shreyas Iyer (c) | 71* | 36 | 3 / 7 | 197.22 |
| Priyansh Arya | 43 | 17 | 2 / 5 | 252.94 |
DC Bowling: Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axar Patel | 4 | 44 | 1 | 11.00 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 4 | 46 | 2 | 11.50 |
| Vipraj Nigam | 2 | 24 | 1 | 12.00 |
Fall of Wickets: 1-126 (Arya, 6.5), 2-132 (Prabhsimran, 7.3), 3-145 (Connolly, 9.2), 4-201 (Wadhera, 14.3)
Key Highlights
- KL Rahul’s 152* off 67 was historic but in a losing cause: Remarkably, his fifty came off 26 balls, century off 47 balls, and he then reached 150 off just 66 balls (16×4, 9×6). Despite being on the losing side, he consequently earned both POTM and Cricinfo MVP (117.19 points). Undoubtedly, it was one of the greatest IPL innings ever played.
- Prabhsimran’s 76 off 26 set the tone for the chase: Notably, his fifty off 18 balls was the fastest of the match. He also smashed 9 fours and 5 sixes at SR 292.30, which consequently helped PBKS reach 116/0 in the powerplay. Although Kuldeep eventually dismissed him, the damage was already done.
- Iyer’s unbeaten 71 off 36 finished the job: Although he walked in at 132/2 with the required rate still above 14, Iyer’s fifty off 26 balls (2×4, 5×6) at SR 197.22 therefore ensured PBKS never lost momentum. In particular, his 7 sixes were especially crucial during the middle and death overs.
- The Rahul-Rana partnership of 220 runs was extraordinary: They essentially batted from 28/1 to 248/2, because neither PBKS bowler could find a breakthrough. Rana’s 91 off 44 (11×4, 4×6) also perfectly complemented Rahul’s century. However, even 264 consequently wasn’t enough on this Delhi pitch.
- 529 runs in one match speaks for itself: Specifically, both teams scored at over 13 runs per over. Moreover, the combined total of 529 runs (264 + 265) was consequently one of the highest aggregate scores in IPL history. This was essentially a match where the bowling simply didn’t exist.
- Subs and concussion replacement: DC used Auqib Nabi as impact sub for Nissanka at 19.6 overs of their innings. PBKS brought in Nehal Wadhera for Chahal at 16.6 overs. In addition, DC used a concussion substitute, replacing Lungi Ngidi with Vipraj Nigam at 4.2 overs of the PBKS innings.
Verdict: PBKS Chase Down 265 in One of the Greatest IPL Matches Ever
This match will certainly be remembered for years. Although Rahul’s 152* was the kind of innings that should win matches, Prabhsimran’s 76 off 26 and Iyer’s unbeaten 71 ultimately ensured PBKS pulled off the impossible chase with 7 balls to spare.
For DC, although posting 264/2 should naturally guarantee a win in any normal match, this was anything but normal. When the opposition essentially smashes 116 in the powerplay without losing a wicket, even a once-in-a-generation knock like Rahul’s consequently ends up on the losing side.
