New Delhi, April 25, 2026: Punjab Kings pulled off a record-breaking run chase to defeat Delhi Capitals in a high-scoring encounter in the Indian Premier League, successfully chasing down 265 — the highest total ever pursued in T20 cricket.
Punjab reached the target with seven balls to spare at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, surpassing their previous best chase of 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024.
Despite a sensational innings from KL Rahul, who smashed an unbeaten 152 — the highest score by an Indian in IPL history — Delhi posted a formidable 264/2 after opting to bat first. Rahul’s knock came off 67 balls and now stands as the third-highest individual score in IPL history, behind Chris Gayle’s 175* and Brendon McCullum’s 158*.
Rahul was well supported by Nitish Rana, who blasted 91 off 44 deliveries, as the duo stitched together a 220-run partnership — a record for Delhi and the second-highest stand in IPL history.
However, Punjab turned the match on its head with a blistering start. Openers Prabhsimran Singh (76 off 26) and Priyansh Arya (43 off 17) powered the visitors to 116/0 in the powerplay — the second-highest in IPL history — laying the foundation for the record chase with a 126-run opening stand.
Captain Shreyas Iyer then anchored the chase with a composed unbeaten 71 off 36 balls, capitalising on two dropped catches by Karun Nair, as Punjab cruised to victory.
The match was briefly halted due to a concerning injury to South African pacer Lungi Ngidi, who fell awkwardly while attempting a catch and struck his head on the turf. He was taken off the field in an ambulance, though Delhi later confirmed he was stable and expected to be discharged from hospital.
Delhi had a brief window of hope when Kuldeep Yadav struck in consecutive overs to remove Prabhsimran and Cooper Connolly, but missed chances in the field proved costly.
“We’re making the same mistakes repeatedly,” said Delhi captain Axar Patel after the defeat. “If you don’t support the bowlers on such a wicket, you deserve to lose.”
With the win, Punjab remain unbeaten at the top of the table with 13 points from seven matches, while Delhi Capitals sit sixth with six points, facing an uphill battle to stay in contention.
