BRIEF SCORE: Delhi Capitals (179 for 4 in 19.5 overs) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (175 for 8 in 20 overs) by six wickets in Bengaluru in an IPL 2026 match on Saturday. RCB vs DC: Scorecard | Highlights
Last year, during his trip to Bengaluru, KL Rahul made certain he was there to turn the lights out. His unbeaten 93 in Delhi Capitals’ successful pursuit of 164 remains etched in the memory. Not just for the runs, but for the rare, visceral release of the ‘Kantara’ celebration that followed. On Saturday, marking his 34th birthday, the script initially threatened a different ending. Facing a target of 176 on an uncharacteristically sluggish Chinnaswamy surface, Rahul was unable to provide the final flourish himself.
Yet, the party went on as planned. Where the star batter left off, the South African tandem of Tristan Stubbs and David Miller took over, demonstrating nerves of tempered steel to snatch a riveting victory from the jaws of a Bengaluru squeeze.
Stubbs, arguably one of the most composed young talents in the global game, acted as the chase’s ballast. As the asking rate began to climb into the uncomfortable territory of the mid-teens, the 25-year-old refused to blink. His presence at the crease allowed the veteran Miller, a man who has made a career out of late-innings heists, to eventually sing his own redemption song.
With the equation reduced to 15 required from the final six deliveries, Miller timed his surge to perfection. There was no need for the frantic scurry of singles (or denied singles); the Killer dealt exclusively with maximums and boundaries. He dismantled Romario Shepherd, launching two towering sixes and a definitive boundary to settle the contest, allowing the Capitals’ dugout to finally breathe a collective sigh of relief.
While the finishers took the glory, it was Rahul who did the heavy lifting. His innings was a study in steely determination, rescuing a Delhi side that looked utterly jaded at 18 for 3. The Capitals had been left reeling by a masterclass in new-ball swing from the wily Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who used the setting sun and a hint of movement to dismiss the in-form Pathum Nissanka, Sameer Rizvi, and a returning Karun Nair.
But the local boy refused to relent. Understanding the premium on Powerplay runs on a pitch that was only getting slower, Rahul took the fight to Josh Hazlewood. Despite the Australian being one of the most parsimonious operators in the league, Rahul’s aggressive counter-attack ensured the Capitals dragged themselves to 50 by the end of the sixth over.
More to follow.
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