KL Rahul’s unbeaten 152 and Nitish Rana’s 91 go in vain as Punjab chases 265 in historic IPL victory
NEW DELHI :Punjab completed the highest successful run chase in Indian Premier League history, defeating Delhi by six wickets after chasing down 265 in Match 35 of IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.
Delhi, batting first, posted a formidable 264 for 2 in 20 overs, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten 152 from KL Rahul. The opener anchored the innings with authority, striking boundaries at regular intervals and keeping the scoreboard moving throughout.
Nitish Rana provided strong support with a quickfire 91 off 44 balls as the pair shared a dominant 220-run partnership for the second wicket, putting Delhi firmly in control and setting Punjab a daunting target.
Punjab, however, responded with fearless batting and sharp intent from the outset. Captain Shreyas Iyer led the chase with an unbeaten 70 off 35 deliveries, while Prabhsimran Singh and the top order ensured the asking rate remained within reach.
Punjab reached 265 for 4 in just 18.5 overs, sealing victory with seven balls to spare and leaving the home crowd stunned after what had appeared to be a match-winning Delhi total.
The game was briefly interrupted when Delhi pacer Lungi Ngidi suffered a head injury while attempting a catch. He was taken off the field in an ambulance, with IPL officials later confirming that he was stable and expected to be discharged soon.
The result strengthened Punjab’s position near the top of the points table and handed Delhi a major setback in its campaign, despite one of the season’s finest individual innings from Rahul.
