Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals – IPL 2026 Match Report | Statz
Delhi Capitals won by 7 wickets (with 5 balls remaining) in the 43rd match of 74 in the Indian Premier League 2026 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bat, posting a formidable 225/6 – only for Delhi to chase it down with something to spare through a stunning Pathum Nissanka-Lokesh Rahul opening stand and a Donovan Ferreira cameo that put the game out of reach in the middle overs.
First Innings – Royals Post 225
Yashasvi Jaiswal fell inside the first over at 6/1 (over 0.3), and Vaibhav Suryavanshi followed almost immediately at 12/2 (over 1.5) – both dismissed cheaply after a positive start. That brought Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag together and they rebuilt with authority. Jurel made 42 off 30 before his exit at 114/3 (over 11.4), by which point Parag was in full flow. Ravindra Jadeja made 20 off 14 – dismissed at 167/4 (over 16.2) – then Parag was finally caught at 168/5 (over 16.4) for a stunning 90 off 50 balls, 8 fours, 5 sixes, strike rate of 180. The top fantasy scorer of the match with 174 Dream11 points.
It was Donovan Ferreira who came in to finish the job. His unbeaten 47 off 14 balls – 2 fours, 6 sixes, strike rate of 336 – turned a competitive total into a daunting one. Mitchell Starc was the pick of the Delhi bowlers with 3/40 off 4, while Axar Patel (1/39) and Kyle Jamieson (1/48) also contributed.
Second Innings – Capitals Cruise Home
Pathum Nissanka and Lokesh Rahul put on an opening stand of 110 in 9.3 overs that set the tone immediately. Nissanka went for 62 off 33 (6 fours, 3 sixes, SR 188) – dismissed LBW at 110/1 (over 9.3). Rahul pushed on: 75 off 40, 6 fours, 5 sixes, strike rate 188, out at 177/2 (over 15.2). Nitish Rana came in to keep the momentum – 33 off 17 at 194 SR, falling at 171/3 (over 14.3). Tristan Stubbs (18* off 11) and Ashutosh Sharma (25* off 15) closed out the chase with 5 balls to spare. Tushar Deshpande (1/38) was the only Royals bowler to take a wicket in the chase. Jadeja gave 1/33 from 3 and Archer 1/46 from 4.
Statz MVP – Donovan Ferreira (98.65)
Donovan Ferreira claims the Statz MVP award with an MI rating of 98.65 out of 100. His 47* off 14 balls – six sixes at a strike rate of 336 – arriving when Royals had already lost most of their recognised batters gave the total an edge that Delhi ultimately needed. Statz calculates impact based on match context, and hitting at that rate in the final overs of a first innings directly influences how chaseable the total becomes. The official man of the match went to Lokesh Rahul for his 75 off 40 – a deserving recognition, but Statz rates the context of Ferreira’s cameo as marginally higher in match impact terms.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Riyan Parag (RR) – 90 off 50 (SR 180, 8×4, 5×6), 174 Dream11 pts | Top scorer and top fantasy haul of the match
- Lokesh Rahul (DC) – 75 off 40 (SR 188, 6×4, 5×6), 151 Dream11 pts | Official MoM, anchored the successful chase
- Pathum Nissanka (DC) – 62 off 33 (SR 188, 6×4, 3×6), 122 Dream11 pts | Explosive start to the chase
- Donovan Ferreira (RR) – 47* off 14 (SR 336, 6×6), 113 Dream11 pts | MI Rating 98.65 – Statz MVP, highest impact score in the match
- Mitchell Starc (DC) – 3/40 off 4 overs (Econ 10.00), 104 Dream11 pts | Best bowling figures of the match
Turning Point
The dismissal of Riyan Parag in over 16.4 with Rajasthan at 168/5 was arguably the key moment. Parag had single-handedly rebuilt the innings from 12/2 and his exit left Ferreira to explode in the closing overs. Had Parag not built to 90, the total would have been far lower. The pair together were the story of the first innings.
Match Context
This was the 43rd match of 74 in the IPL 2026 regular season. Rajasthan Royals slip to 4th – 12 points from 10 games (W6 L4), NRR +0.510. Delhi Capitals move to 6th – 8 points from 9 games (W4 L5), NRR -0.895. This win is crucial for DC’s slim playoff hopes; Rajasthan, despite the loss, are still in a strong position in the top four. Punjab Kings lead on 13 points, followed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (12) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (12). The fight for the remaining playoff places intensifies.
Full scorecard: statz.ai
