Rajasthan Royals are expected to emerge as the winners of their must-win contest against Delhi Capitals on Sunday as they aim to take a step closer to the IPL 2026 playoffs. RR are fifth on the points table, having lost the last two matches, and need to win the remainder of their 3 league stage games in order to make it to the top four without any hiccups. Meanwhile, DC are on the 8th spot in the standings, having choked in the latter half of the tournament. Axar Patel and co. have just two games left and need to win both games, and then depend on the results of the other matches in order to find a miraculous way to make it to the IPL 2026 playoffs.
DC vs RR head-to-head records
Historically, this rivalry has been fiercely competitive, but Delhi Capitals took the bragging rights in their previous encounter earlier this season.
- Total Matches Played: 30
- Won by Rajasthan Royals: 15
- Won by Delhi Capitals: 15
In their last meeting on May 1 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Delhi Capitals pulled off an incredible chase, hunting down a massive target of 226 with 7 wickets and 5 balls to spare. KL Rahul’s blazing 75-run knock completely overshadowed a magnificent 90 from RR’s Riyan Parag.
Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch report for DC vs RR
The track at the Arun Jaitley Stadium is expected to be a paradise for batters, promising a very high-scoring encounter. While the black-soil surface may offer a touch of grip for slower bowlers as the match progresses, the combination of incredibly short boundaries and a lightning-fast outfield makes defending any total exceptionally difficult.
Delhi weather report
- Temperature: Severe heatwave conditions are dominating the capital. It will remain extremely hot and dry for this night match, with temperatures hovering between 32°C and 38°C.
- Rain: 0% probability. The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for heatwave conditions. While a light dust storm is possible in the afternoon, there is no threat of rain interrupting the 40-over contest.
- Dew Factor: Given the dry summer heatwave, the dew won’t be overly heavy, but it will still provide enough slickness to make chasing the overwhelmingly preferred option at the toss.
Predicted DC vs RR playing XIs
Axar Patel’s Delhi Capitals unit needs a complete performance. Their biggest headache has been the Powerplay, with DC losing more wickets in the opening phase than any other team this season. They’ve relied heavily on lower-order rescues from the likes of Axar Patel, David Miller, and Ashutosh Sharma. KL Rahul will look to find his peak form again, while underperforming bowling combinations put immense pressure on Kuldeep Yadav to find his rhythm.
Predicted XI: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav, T. Natarajan.
Riyan Parag’s Rajasthan Royals are eager to iron out recent inconsistencies. While teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been a major revelation with his aggressive striking, Yashasvi Jaiswal has lost a bit of momentum. With Riyan Parag anchoring the middle order, RR will need their bowling spearheads—Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger—to rediscover their early-season lethality on a tough Delhi surface.
Predicted XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Ravi Bishnoi.
Who will win DC vs RR match today?
This match sets up a classic battle of desperation. DC has everything on the line in their final home game of the season, making them highly dangerous if their explosive batting unit clicks. However, Rajasthan Royals hold a slight edge in structural balance and depth, giving them the flexibility required to tackle Delhi’s batting-friendly conditions.
Scenario 1: If Rajasthan Royals bat first RR will need to clear the 210-mark to feel secure. Given DC’s capability to chase massive scores (as proven in their 226-run chase against RR earlier this month), anything less will be easily hunted down under the short boundaries.
Scenario 2: If Rajasthan Royals bowl first Exploiting early swing and using variations on the black soil could allow RR to restrict a fragile DC top-order, making a chase relatively comfortable for Jaiswal, Parag, and Jurel.
Final Prediction: With a 56.6% win probability in their favor, Rajasthan Royals enter as the marginal favorites to edge out Delhi Capitals and take a massive step toward securing their IPL 2026 playoff berth.
Cricket
Australia maul England at Lord's to clinch 7th ICC Women's T20 World Cup title
