In the 39th match of IPL 2026, Delhi Capitals' batting lineup collapsed like a deck of cards against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. On the same ground where Delhi had previously scored 264 runs, the team's batting disintegrated in their very next outing. RCB's pace duo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, unleashed a lethal bowling display, reducing Delhi to a staggering 8 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. Within just 23 deliveries, Delhi lost key players including KL Rahul, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, and young opener Sahil Parakh. This marks one of the darkest days in the history of the Delhi Capitals franchise.
The Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood Masterclass
The downfall began after RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to field first. Patidar handed the new ball to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who struck on the second delivery of the match by dismissing Sahil Parakh for a duck. The pressure intensified in the second over when Josh Hazlewood removed KL Rahul for just 1 run with a sharp bouncer. Hazlewood followed it up by dismissing Sameer Rizvi for a golden duck on the very next ball. Although Tristan Stubbs managed to hit a boundary, his stay was short-lived as he fell to Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the first ball of the third over after scoring 5 runs.
Record-Breaking Collapse in Powerplay
The procession of wickets continued as captain Axar Patel lasted only three balls before being caught by Jitesh Sharma off Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling for a duck. Following Axar's departure, Nitish Rana was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood for just 1 run. This rapid collapse meant Delhi had lost 6 wickets in no time. Consequently, Delhi Capitals registered a shameful record in IPL history by becoming the team with the lowest-ever powerplay score. They managed only 13 runs while losing 6 wickets in the first six overs. This is the first instance in IPL history where a team has lost more than five wickets while scoring such few runs in the powerplay.
Key Match Highlights and Statistics
While Delhi Capitals had a promising start to the IPL 2026 season, their recent form has taken a massive hit. Having lost four of their last five encounters, the team's chances of securing a top spot seem to be fading. The extraordinary collapse against RCB has highlighted significant vulnerabilities in their batting department as the tournament progresses toward its business end.