Ashutosh cameo, Rahul Masterclass humble Rajasthan, DC end losing streak

Majestic fifties from KL Rahul, Pathum Nissanka and a late cameo from Ashutosh Sharma propelled Delhi Capitals to chase a record 226 in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Friday night in Jaipur.
This marks DC's highest run-chase in IPL history. The visitors sealed the match with 5 balls to spare.
This was a masterclass chase from Delhi Capitals. Coming off a collapse for just 75 in their previous outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and with no prior success chasing 220-plus totals, this was as emphatic a response as it gets, sealed with seven wickets in hand and five balls to spare.
With this win, DC grabs its fourth victory of the season and is placed on 6th in the points table, while RR stays in fourth position with six wins out of their 10 matches.
This is also the second-highest successful chase against RR, behind the 229 runs chased by SRH at the same venue earlier this season.
Chasing a massive target of 226, the chase began with blistering intent as KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka dismantled the RR bowling attack in the power-play. The duo took on RR bowlers and added 70 in the first six overs.
Nissanka was the aggressor, while Rahul was happy to play second fiddle. The duo added 110 for the opening wicket before Rajasthan finally found a breakthrough via Ravindra Jadeja, who dismissed Nissanka to end the dangerous opening partnership in the 10th over.
Nissanka slammed a fluent 62 off 33 balls. However, the momentum barely shifted as Nitish Rana joined Rahul. Rana played a high-impact cameo, smashing 33 off just 17 balls, including 3 fours and 2 sixes.
In the 15th over, Tushar Deshpande provided RR a crucial breakthrough, just as DC looked to pull away, Deshpande struck. After a successful RR review for a caught-behind, Rana was sent back to the dugout, caught by Dhruv Jurel.
DC were mounting a formidable chase of 226 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. As of the 15th over, DC had reached 173/2, requiring 53 runs from the final 30 balls.
In the following over, Jofra Archer gave DC a massive blow as he removed Rahul after being smashed for a four, on 75 off 45 balls, bringing Ashutosh Sharma to the crease.
Even though they lost Rahul, the Delhi Capitals managed to get 11 from the Archer over. Sharma got his innings going by smashing a four each off Archer and Brijesh Sharma.
Stubbs and Sharma also hammered Deshpande in the 18th over, smashing him for 16 runs. The duo then took the game till the final ball and sealed the match with 5 balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, a dazzling fifty by Riyan Parag and a fiery cameo in the end by Donovan Ferreira cruised RR to a massive 225/6.
Parag slammed his first fifty of the 2026 IPL, smashing a fluent 90, while Ferreira hammered DC bowlers in the final three overs, making 47 off just 14 balls at a strike rate of 335.71.
After opting to bat first at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, RR's innings began with fireworks as Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed a six off the first ball, but Mitchell Starc had the last laugh, dismissing him just two balls later.
The crisis deepened on RR when Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fell to Kyle Jamieson, leaving the Royals reeling at 12/2 within the first two overs.
Skipper Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel then orchestrated a massive recovery with a 102-run partnership. While Jurel played a calculated knock of 42 off 30 balls, Parag took the aggressor's role.
He broke the shackles by hammering Axar Patel for consecutive sixes and reached a defiant half-century off 32 deliveries.
However, DC skipper gave his side a much needed break through and removed Jurel for 42, ending a massive 102-run partnership, bringing Ravindra Jadeja to the crease.
Just as RR looked set for a massive finish, Starc returned to dismantle the momentum. He first removed Ravindra Jadeja for 20 off 14 and then claimed the big wicket of Parag for a brilliant 90 off 50 balls, including 8 fours and 5 sixes in the 17th over, bringing Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey to the crease.
Ferreira, continuing his good form in the tournament, slammed veteran spinner Kuldeep Yadav for three massive sixes in the 18th over.
Ferreira also took on Starc, hammering him for 17 runs in the 19th over to take RR past the 200-run mark.
T Natarajan struck on the first legal delivery of the final over, dismissing Dubey for just 6 and bringing Jofra Archer to the crease.
Ferreira continued his aggressive onslaught in the final over as well, smashing Natarajan for 18 runs to power RR to 225/6 in their 20 overs.
For DC in bowling, Starc stood up in his first match of the season, scalping 3 wickets, while Jamieson, Patel and Natarajan chipped in with a wicket each.

(With inputs from ANI)