DC Vs PBKS Highlights, IPL 2026: Karun Nair’s Drops Prove Costly As Shreyas Iyer Fires Punjab Kings To Record Chase

Good Afternoon, we’re back with another live blog as the Delhi Capitals host table toppers Punjab Kings in match number 35 of the Indian Premier League. Follow along and stay tuned for live updates.

All the players will be tested this afternoon under the scorching sun and unbearable heat, which is reaching the zenith. The temperature will drop in the evening but the period from 3:30 to 6:00 will be extremely difficult. Read the hourly weather prediction right here.

It surely is a must win game for the Delhi Capitals but the Punjab Kings, given their recent form and exceptional team balance, have more than 50% chances of winning today.

Read our full match prediction right here.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a thrilling five-wicket victory over the Gujarat Titans in Match 34 yesterday. Chasing a target of 206 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Virat Kohli led the charge with a masterclass 81 off 44 balls, supported by Devdutt Padikkal’s quickfire 55.

Earlier, GT’s Sai Sudharsan struck a magnificent 100 off 58 balls, becoming the fastest player to reach 2,000 IPL runs. Despite his efforts, RCB’s clinical chase moved them up to second in the points table.

Delhi Capitals have won the toss and elected to bat first.

Delhi Capitals Impact Subs: Vipraj Nigam, Karun Nair, Dushmantha Chameera, Ashutosh Sharma, Auqib Nabi Dar

Punjab Kings Impact subs: Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Vishnu Vinod

9 - SRH (2015-16)
9 - CSK (2019)
9 - DC (2025-26)*
8 - CSK (2018-19)
8 - RR (2023)

We’re underway as Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul walk out to the middle, with Nissanka taking strike to face the first ball. Arshdeep Singh has the new ball in hand and will open the attack, setting the tone straight away in what already feels like a key battle up front.

Oh that’s a let-off, and a big one early! Arshdeep bangs it in short, KL Rahul goes for the pull and doesn’t quite middle it, sending it high towards deep square leg, it should’ve been taken.

But Shashank Singh makes a mess of it again, tries to reverse-cup and spills it, and to make matters worse, it trickles away for FOUR. You can’t help but feel Rahul has just been handed a lifeline here.

Oh, that didn’t take long, Arshdeep strikes back immediately. After the chaos of the dropped catch in the previous ball, he bangs it in short again and Pathum Nissanka takes it on, goes for the pull, but this time it all goes wrong.

A thick top edge flies up, and Prabhsimran Singh makes no mistake behind the stumps. Safe hands, clean take, and Nissanka has to walk back for 11 off 7. What a quick turnaround, from a missed chance to a breakthrough in the very next ball.

Back-to-back boundaries for Nitish Rana, and this one comes with a slice of fortune! Marco Jansen goes short and wide, Rana throws his hands at it and cuts hard towards square third man, the fielder gets there, looks set to stop it, but oh no, he slips at the crucial moment.

The ball sneaks past and runs away to the fence, gifting Rana another four. Little moments like these can really hurt the bowling side.

Oh this is turning into a nightmare in the field. Bartlett goes short and wide again, and Nitish Rana happily cuts it towards backward point, should’ve been a routine stop, but there’s a fumble. The ball slips through, the fielder gives chase, dives, but it just keeps trickling away and crosses the rope. Another FOUR gifted, and the pressure is starting to show out there.

There it is, KL Rahul brings up a classy fifty. Vyshak goes back of a length on middle and leg, and Rahul just leans into it, clips it neatly through the on-side and comes back for a couple.

The moment he gets there, the crowd erupts, a well-paced knock, full of control. He’s looked in superb touch today, barely rushed, always in command, now the big question is, how far can he take this?

And there it is, back-to-back fifties for Nitish Rana! He shuffles right across, gets into position early, and scoops that length ball so neatly down to fine leg for FOUR. That’s a clever, confident stroke to reach the milestone, and what a knock it’s been, calm, composed, and right on top of the bowlers. Delhi Capitals are building something strong here.

This is turning brutal, Nitish Rana is absolutely all over Xavier Bartlett. And he caps it off with a towering SIX, getting a full ball in the slot outside off and hammering it flat over deep extra cover. That over has gone for 28 runs, 6, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6 just relentless hitting.

Rana has flipped the momentum completely, and with his strike rate now soaring past 200, Delhi Capitals are in full control.

Oh this is pure class from KL Rahul, a hundred, and what a knock it’s been! Jansen goes full and wide outside off, and Rahul just leans into it, drives beautifully down the ground. It races past long-off despite the fielder’s desperate chase, and the moment it hits the rope, the crowd erupts. That’s his sixth IPL century, crafted with control and authority, a proper captain’s knock, and he’s not done yet.

Strategic break called, but Punjab look completely out of ideas right now. Delhi Capitals are cruising, the batters dictating every phase, and the bowlers have no answers. The firepower in that Punjab lineup is real, no doubt, but from here, they’ll need something extraordinary. Because at this rate, even the season’s best 254 doesn’t feel safe anymore.

Oh finally, a breakthrough, and what a moment in the field! Yuzvendra Chahal gets the wicket, but take a bow Marcus Stoinis, that is a stunner in the deep.

A full toss down leg, Nitish Rana tries to cash in, goes for the slog over square leg but doesn’t get all of it, and Stoinis comes charging in from deep backward square, slides, keeps his balance, and completes it cleanly without touching the ropes. Brilliant awareness under pressure!

That ends a massive 192-run stand, the highest for Delhi Capitals, and Rana walks back for a superb 74 off 39. He’ll be kicking himself though, that was there to be put away. Big moment, but has it come too late?

Oh hang on, this is a twist! The decision has been reviewed, and Swaroopanand Kannur takes a long, hard look, and he’s spotted it, the boot brushing the boundary skirtings as the catch was being completed. That changes everything. NOT OUT is the call, and to make it even better for Nitish Rana, it’s ruled a SIX. What a massive let-off, from walking back to adding six more runs in a heartbeat.

Rahul keeps it ticking with ease! Jansen drifts onto the pads and KL Rahul just helps it on its way, a neat pick-up shot sending it racing to deep square leg for FOUR. He’s making this look ridiculously simple right now.

Nitish Rana’s brilliant knock comes to an end on 91 as he falls just short of a well-deserved century, unable to clear Shreyas Iyer who pulls off a sharp one-handed catch to break the massive 220-run stand.

It’s a full toss from Xavier Bartlett, Rana looks to go inside-out but only manages a chip in the air, and that brings a stunning partnership to a close. Despite the wicket, KL Rahul continues to hold firm at the other end, keeping the momentum firmly with Delhi Capitals.

Delhi Capitals have piled up a massive 264/2, powered by a breathtaking unbeaten 152 from KL Rahul, a knock that became possible after Shashank Singh dropped him twice, when he was on 12 and 51. Rahul made them pay in full, finishing with the third-highest score in IPL history and the highest by an Indian batter.

After Pathum Nissanka’s early dismissal, Rahul and Nitish Rana tore into Punjab Kings with a record 220-run stand for the second wicket, leaving the bowlers and fielders clueless as DC ran riot to set up a daunting chase.

Chase is on at the Arun Jaitley Stadium! Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh walk out to start the massive pursuit, with Arya taking strike. Auqib Nabi has the new ball in hand and will look to strike early, but make no mistake, this is a mountain chase after that 264. All eyes on this first over, can Punjab Kings get away to a flyer or will Delhi strike back instantly?

Mukesh Kumar goes into the slower one, but Prabhsimran Singh is ready for it! He charges down the pitch, creates that extra bit of room, and then absolutely carves it over cover with a clean swing of the bat, one bounce and it races away to the fence for FOUR. That’s a confident start to the chase, no hesitation at all from Prabhsimran.

Axar Patel tosses it up slower just outside off, Priyansh Arya goes for the lofted drive but mistimes it off the toe-end, sending it looping towards mid-off.

Lungi Ngidi backtracks and tries to get under it, stretching backwards but can’t quite get a fingertip on it, and the ball drops safely for just a single. But the bigger concern comes after the drop, Ngidi lands awkwardly and hits the ground hard on his head while going for the catch, and it looks really nasty out there. Immediate worry on the field as play pauses briefly.

Lungi Ngidi has been stretchered off after a scary fall, with concern gripping the DC camp as the physio and doctor attend to him on the field.

He landed heavily on his head on the hard Arun Jaitley Stadium outfield, and while there is some sign of him responding to medical checks, the situation remains worrying. Awful scenes here as treatment continues and everyone waits for clearer updates.

Play has resumed with Axar Patel continuing his over, and Dushmantha Chameera coming in as the substitute. The focus, though, remains firmly on Lungi Ngidi, who was stretchered off after a nasty fall on his head while attempting a catch.

The physio and team doctor attended to him immediately, with an ambulance called onto the ground as precaution, leaving the stadium in complete silence.

There was visible concern in the DC camp, with Hemang Badani and medical staff involved in the assessment, while Ngidi’s South African teammates David Miller and Tristan Stubbs looked visibly shaken. Ricky Ponting also walked out to the middle as arrangements were made to wheel Ngidi off for further medical attention. Chameera is now set to take over on the field as DC look to regroup amid deeply worrying scenes.

Chameera has now walked off the field, with Vipraj Nigam coming in as the substitute for the moment. DC continue to reshuffle on the field as they deal with the aftermath of Ngidi’s injury scare and the tactical adjustments that follow.

Auqib Nabi goes back of a length at the stumps, but Priyansh Arya is in no mood to hold back! He swivels across beautifully and absolutely swats the pull, clean, powerful, and it sails way over mid-wicket for SIX. That’s another statement shot in what’s turning into an expensive over, Arya just easing into the chase with real intent.

Mukesh Kumar misses his length and serves up a low full toss, and Prabhsimran Singh makes no mistake. He opens the face and scythes it beautifully through cover-point for FOUR, effortless timing on display. That’s a rapid half-century too, brought up in just 18 balls, and he acknowledges it with a raised bat as Punjab keep the chase flying.

Axar Patel finally breaks through, and Delhi Capitals will breathe a little easier! He fires it in flatter on off, Priyansh Arya looks for the big pull again, but this time he doesn’t get the elevation he wanted.

It’s struck hard and flat, but only finds Sameer Rizvi patrolling deep mid-wicket, who takes a steady catch. That brings an end to a blistering start from Arya, dismissed for 43 off just 17 balls, and the explosive opening stand is finally broken.

Vipraj Nigam starts off with a horror delivery, spraying it down the leg side, and Shreyas Iyer won’t miss out on that. He rocks back looking to pull, gets a faint under-edge, and it sneaks away fine past short fine leg for FOUR. That’s as easy as it gets, free runs to get him going.

Vipraj Nigam strikes, and Delhi Capitals get another breakthrough! He keeps it tight and forces Nehal Wadhera into a mistimed stroke, and this time there’s no escape.

Wadhera goes after it but doesn’t quite get the timing right, and substitute fielder Karun Nair makes no mistake in the deep. A sharp catch, a tidy finish, and Wadhera walks back for 25 off 15 as DC chip away at the chase.

Shreyas Iyer survives yet again, and Delhi Capitals will be pulling their hair out in the field. Kuldeep Yadav tempts him into going aerial, Iyer goes for the big shot towards long-on but doesn’t get the timing right, it hangs in the air, right in Karun Nair’s hands, and he shells it again! That’s two dropped chances in successive overs from him, and Iyer can’t help but smile at his luck. He’s living a charmed life out there in the middle right now.

Natarajan misses his mark and serves up a short-of-length delivery wide outside off, and Shreyas Iyer is all over it! He rocks back and absolutely hammers it over cover for FOUR, no fuss, no doubt. That’s another clean strike and suddenly the chase is very much on, with just 28 needed off 20 now. Momentum firmly swinging Punjab’s way.

Natarajan goes for the yorker but misses his mark with a low full toss, and Shashank Singh scoops it cleverly between the keeper and short fine leg for FOUR. A dot follows, then a quick single to rotate strike, and then Shreyas Iyer explodes.

He clears his front leg and launches a huge SIX over midwicket, absolutely hammered into the stands. Suddenly Punjab Kings are right on the doorstep, just 2 needed off 8 balls. A single comes next, then a wide, and that’s it! Punjab Kings seal it in style, winning by 6 wickets in a dramatic finish.

That’s a wrap, we’ll be back with another live blog. Until then, bye-bye.