Starc's 4-fer Helps DC Restrict RR to 193/8 in Crucial IPL 2026 Clash

IPL 2026: Starc's 4-fer and key contributions from Ngidi, Madhav help DC restrict RR to 193/8 in Delhi

New Delhi, May 17

From a strong position of 140/2 in 12 overs, RR were restricted to 193/8, with Starc starring for DC with a four-wicket haul. He was well supported by two wickets each from Ngidi and Madhav.

Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to field in a must-win encounter to keep their playoff hopes alive.

After being put in to bat first by Delhi Capitals, the Rajasthan Royals suffered an early setback when Lungi Ngidi outsmarted the dangerous Yashasvi Jaiswal (12) with a slower ball in the third over, reducing the visitors to 19/1 in 2 overs. However, the early wicket did little to slow down RR's batting.

Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi launched a blistering assault on the DC bowling unit. Sooryavanshi, along with Dhruv Jurel, targeted Mitchell Starc by taking 16 runs off the third over to take RR to 35/1.

Notably, Dhruv Jurel received a lifeline in the fourth over when he was dropped by KL Rahul, with the batter on four runs.

Sooryavanshi continued his onslaught as he slammed DC's Tripurana Vijay for 18 runs in the fifth over. After five overs, RR were 58/1. Then in the next over, Jurel took on pacer Mukesh Kumar, hitting two boundaries and a six as DC reached 75/1 after the power play.

DC's Madhav Tiwari got rid of Sooryavanshi in the eighth over, but not before he smashed 46 runs off just 21 deliveries, hitting five boundaries and three sixes. After eight overs, RR stood at 92/2.

Riyan Parag took charge for Rajasthan Royals, smashing two sixes off Axar Patel in the 11th over before following it up with three sixes and a four in the next over from Mukesh Kumar. After 12 overs, Delhi Capitals were 140/2.

Riyan Parag brought up a quickfire fifty off 23 balls in the 14th over for Rajasthan Royals. However, the match turned in the following over when Mitchell Starc struck twice in successive deliveries, removing Parag (51 off 26) and Donovan Ferreira for a duck, before also dismissing Ravi Singh for 4, narrowly missing out on a hat-trick. After 15 overs, DC were at 166/5.

Madhav Tiwari removed Shubham Dubey for 5 runs in the 17th over, further halting RR's momentum.

New batter Dhasun Shanaka came to the crease and hit a six off Lungi Ngidi's bowling as RR reached 182/6 after 18 overs. Jurel brought up his fifty off 36 balls, but Starc handed RR another blow as he scalped Shanaka's (10) wicket in the penultimate over.

Ngidi dismissed Jurel (53 runs off 40 balls) in the final over, stopping the Royals from finishing big. RR eventually ended their innings at 193/8 in 20 overs.

Delhi Capitals were well served by their bowlers, with Mitchell Starc leading the attack with 4/40 in four overs. Lungi Ngidi (2/24) and Madhav Tiwari (2/27) also made key contributions, while Axar Patel kept things tight with an economical spell of 0/31 in his four overs.

— ANI