IPL 2026: Punjab Kings stun Delhi Capitals with record chase as KL Rahul’s 152 goes in vain

New Delhi: A monumental unbeaten 152 by KL Rahul, the highest T20 score by an Indian, went in vain as Punjab Kings mounted the largest successful chase in IPL history to extend their lead at the top of the table on a run-soaked Saturday with a six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals.

Rahul's masterpiece, which came off 67 deliveries with 16 fours and nine sixes, and his 220-run second-wicket stand with Nitish Rana powered Delhi to a mammoth 264-2 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Punjab replied in kind through openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, who put on 126 in just 42 deliveries.

Prabhsimran dazzled with a 26-ball 76 and when Punjab lost three wickets in quick succession, skipper Shreyas Iyer rode his luck to steer his team home with seven deliveries to spare.

Delhi, already hampered by the absence of lead pacer Lungi Ngidi, reprieved Shreyas on 28 and 35 with substitute fielder Karun Nair the guilty party on both occasions.

South African Ngidi was stretchered off the field and driven in an ambulance to the hospital after landing heavily and hitting the back of his head on the turf while unsuccessfully attempting a catch off Arya.

Shreyas made the most of his good fortune with his fourth fifty in five innings as Punjab maintained their unbeaten start to the tournament.

Between them, Prabhsimran and Arya smashed five sixes apiece in the first four overs and Shreyas provided the finishing touches with an electric unbeaten 71 which ultimately relegated Rahul's heroics to a footnote.

Rahul had been shelled twice in the afternoon after Axar Patel chose to set a target, dropped by Shashank Singh on 12 and by paceman Vijaykumar Vyshak when on 51.

Those two blemishes apart, it was a magnificent knock marked by classical driving through the straight field and crunchy pulls whenever the bowlers pitched it short.

"I was very pleased at the end of the first 20 overs. There was a time when the T20 game was slightly different, and I, as an opener, could take my time," said 34-year-old Rahul, who is no longer a part of the Indian 20-over set-up.

"But today's demand is that the first six overs are the most important. I stuck to being true to my game."

Rana (91) was an almost equal partner as the second-wicket pair rained carnage. The No. 3 smashed Australian pacer Xavier Bartlett for two sixes and four fours in one over to keep pace with Rahul, who brought up his sixth IPL century off 47 deliveries.

Rahul's second hundred for Delhi made him the first batter to score multiple tons for three different franchises in the IPL and he seemed to have secured the two points for his team.

But Punjab had other designs, bettering their own previous highest successful chase of 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 in grand style.