Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals batters KL Rahul and Nitish Rana produced a batting masterclass, dismantling Punjab Kings in their IPL 2026 clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.Rahul, who was handed an early lifeline after being dropped on 12 by Shashank Singh off Arshdeep Singh, made the most of the reprieve in ruthless fashion. The right-hander went on to dominate the PBKS bowling attack, playing shots all around the ground with authority and control.Together with Rana, Rahul stitched a sensational unbeaten 150-plus stand, which came in just 70 balls. The partnership now stands as the highest for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings for any wicket, surpassing the 146-run stand between Virender Sehwag and David Warner in 2011.The duo’s effort also eclipsed other notable stands, including the 106-run partnerships between Mayank Agarwal and Yuvraj Singh in 2015, and Agarwal with Shreyas Iyer in the same year.Rahul reached a stunning century off just 47 balls – his sixth in IPL history – showcasing his ability to switch gears effortlessly after a cautious start. At the other end, Rana provided the perfect support, racing to a 29-ball half-century and keeping the pressure firmly on the opposition.One of the standout moments of the innings came in the 12th over, when Rana took on Xavier Bartlett and plundered 28 runs. The over now ranks among the most expensive ever conceded to a Delhi Capitals batter in IPL history.Only three instances – all yielding 30 runs – sit above it, including efforts by Sehwag, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Rishabh Pant.Most runs in an over by a DC batter in the IPL30 – Virender Sehwag off Andrew Symonds (Deccan), Hyderabad, 200830 – Jake Fraser-McGurk off Washington Sundar (SRH), Delhi, 202430 – Rishabh Pant off Mohit Sharma (GT), Delhi, 202428 – Shreyas Iyer off Shivam Mavi (KKR), Delhi, 201828 – Rishabh Pant off Venkatesh Iyer (KKR), Visakhapatnam, 202428 – Jake Fraser-McGurk off Avesh Khan (RR), Delhi, 202428 – Nitish Rana off Xavier Bartlett (PBKS), Delhi, 2026Century stands for DC vs PBKS (any wicket)150* – KL Rahul & Nitish Rana, Delhi, 2026146 – Virender Sehwag & David Warner, Delhi, 2011106 – Mayank Agarwal & Yuvraj Singh, Pune, 2015106 – Mayank Agarwal & Shreyas Iyer, Delhi, 2015
