The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 witnessed yet another high-octane thriller as fans erupted at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. In the 62nd match of the season on May 17, 2026, the Delhi Capitals (DC) pulled off an emphatic 5-wicket victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR), boosting their standings in a fiercely contested tournament. Chasing a formidable target of 194, Delhi reached 197/5 with 4 balls to spare, courtesy of a masterclass opening partnership and a clinical finish under pressure.
Mitchell Starc derails RR’s batting lineup with a 4-wicket haul
Electing to bowl first, Delhi Capitals faced an initial onslaught from the Rajasthan Royals’ top order. After Yashasvi Jaiswal fell early for 12, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a quickfire 46 off just 21 balls. The momentum was carried forward by Dhruv Jurel, who anchored the middle overs with a steady 53 off 40 deliveries, and skipper Riyan Parag, who cleared the boundaries at will to score a blistering 51 off 23 balls. At 161/2, Rajasthan looked well on track to post a total beyond 220.
However, veteran Australian speedster Mitchell Starc turned the game on its head with an exceptional display of death bowling. Starc triggered a dramatic collapse in the 15th over, dismissing the dangerous Parag and removing Donovan Ferreira for a golden duck on consecutive deliveries. He returned late in the innings to trap Ravi Singh leg-before for 4 and remove the dangerous impact sub, Dasun Shanaka, for 10. Starc finished with phenomenal figures of 4/40 in his 4 overs, putting the brakes on RR’s scoring rate. Supported by Lungi Ngidi’s economical 2/24 and Madhav Tiwari‘s 2/27, DC restricted Rajasthan to 193/8 when a much larger total seemed inevitable.
DC edge past RR to a thrilling victory in IPL 2026
The run chase required a flying start, and Delhi’s opening duo delivered exactly that. Abishek Porel and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul weaponized the powerplay, bringing up a 100-run partnership in just 55 balls. Porel played a crucial hand of 51 off 31 balls, decorated with 7 fours and a six, before falling to Brijesh Sharma. Rahul anchored the chase beautifully, scoring an elegant 56 off 42 balls, punctuated by 3 towering sixes.
Despite losing quick wickets in the middle overs, including Sahil Parakh (9) and Tristan Stubbs (4), DC kept the asking rate under control. Captain Axar Patel played a vital, ice-cool cameo, remaining unbeaten on 34 off just 18 balls. Jofra Archer tried to pull things back for RR with a fiery spell of 2/35, while Brijesh picked up 2/44, but the pressure of defending a short boundary told in the final overs. With Rajasthan penalized for a slow over-rate in the final stretch, extra fielders were forced inside the circle. The explosive Ashutosh Sharma, coming in as an impact player, capitalised instantly by smashing an unbeaten 18 off just 5 balls. Delhi comfortably crossed the finish line at 197/5 in 19.2 overs, sent the home crowd into a frenzy, and sealed a memorable IPL 2026 chapter.
Also WATCH: Axar Patel’s spectacular diving catch removes Riyan Parag during DC vs RR showdown
Here’s how fans reacted:
Mitchell Starc said “enough” and flipped the entire game in a single over.🔥🔥#DCvsRR pic.twitter.com/KbP6sxhicf
— Rahul raj⚡ (@RahulrajRout) May 17, 2026
IAN BISHOP HEAPS PRAISE ON MITCHELL STARC IN THE COMM BOX
He said : I have just asked Mitchell Starc about his match routine & all the stuff. He is always there ready & recharged before the big games. The main highlight of this man is that he is always ready to support young… pic.twitter.com/iPr3wRzTq1
— Akshat (@Akshatgoel1408) May 17, 2026
Three wickets for the 🐐 Mitchell Aaron Starc and these shameless IPL lovers have the audacity to question his professionalism. He is Mitchell Starc not some gully cricketer. Mind it 👊 😎👊 pic.twitter.com/21axiCnLdt
— Troll cricket unlimitedd (@TUnlimitedd) May 17, 2026
THE STARC STORM ARRIVES 🌪️
3 wickets in 4 balls and the game completely changed.
And people compare this beast to that Choker Bumrah 🤡#RRvsDC #DCvsRR pic.twitter.com/WgUboxHBl6
— Mufaddal Shailu (@Shailu_15Jul) May 17, 2026
Mitchell Starc saved us from humiliation pic.twitter.com/KKlWgKNV2Q
— Abxd (@ABXD_DC) May 17, 2026
Mitchell Starc tonight :
First 2 overs – 28 runs / 0 wicket
Next 2 overs – 12 Runs / 4 wicketsWhat a Comeback, Absolute Goated🐐 pic.twitter.com/sgHC8HvZQM
— 𝙎. (@KLfied_) May 17, 2026
4-wicket haul with an economy of 10 🥵🔥
Delhi Capitals are blessed that the greatest bowler of our generation plays for us — MITCHELL STARC 👑 pic.twitter.com/jJAPTbBubD
— DC Reign (@FORREALDC) May 17, 2026
MITCHELL STARC – 4/39 (4 OVERS)🫡
– He gets Parag.
– He gets Donovan.
– He gets Ravi Singh.
– He gets Shanaka.What a spell by Mitchell Starc! 👏 pic.twitter.com/vznyfLHgFt
— VK (@_VK86) May 17, 2026
Some say Virat Kohli, some back Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan…
But I’m picking KL Rahul 👑
One of the most versatile and underrated batters — wherever he plays, he becomes that team’s most reliable pillar. Class, adaptability, consistency. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9U6bKlRZ5s
— Dugout prasanth📽️🏏 (@DieHardFanOfTh4) May 17, 2026
🚨 Another composed chase-defining knock from KL Rahul 👏🔥
56 off 42 with smart control, calm game awareness and the ability to absorb pressure while guiding the innings 💀🏏
Did the hard work beautifully before Shanaka’s slower ball finally got him 👀⚔️ #DCvRR #IPL2026… https://t.co/6lZkmSSqeU pic.twitter.com/VSJWKDJhVT
— Third Man View (@3rdManView) May 17, 2026
Thrilling win for DC as they are alive in the #IPL2026#DCvsRR pic.twitter.com/Ml4d90R9Hv
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) May 17, 2026
Also WATCH: David Miller grabs a stunning catch to dismiss Vaibhav Suryavanshi during DC vs RR encounter
