KL Rahul produced an outstanding performance for Delhi Capitals, scoring an unbeaten 152 against Punjab Kings in Delhi. This achievement makes him the first Indian player to exceed 150 runs in the IPL, placing his score third on the all-time list, following Chris Gayle’s 175 not out and Brendon McCullum’s 158 not out.
Rahul’s innings was marked by his ability to make the most of opportunities after being dropped twice by Shashank Singh, once at 12 and again at 51. These errors proved expensive for Punjab as Rahul built a massive total.
Despite losing Pathum Nissanka early, Rahul dominated from the start. He formed a record-breaking 220-run partnership for the second wicket with Nitish Rana, the highest in Delhi Capitals’ history and the second-highest for any wicket in IPL, surpassed only by the 229-run stand between AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli in 2016.
Top five highest individual IPL scores:
– 175 not out: Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) vs Pune Warriors India, Bengaluru, 2013
– 158 not out: Brendon McCullum (Kolkata Knight Riders) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Bengaluru, 2008
– 152 not out: KL Rahul (Delhi Capitals) vs Punjab Kings, Delhi, 2026
– 141: Abhishek Sharma (Sunrisers Hyderabad) vs Punjab Kings, Hyderabad, 2025
– 140 not out: Quinton de Kock (Kolkata Knight Riders) vs Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai, 2022
This partnership exceeded Delhi’s prior record of 189 not out between David Warner and Naman Ojha in 2012. The 220 runs came from just 96 deliveries, demonstrating their control over Punjab’s bowlers.
Rahul struck 14 fours and nine sixes, reaching his century in his quickest IPL time. This surpassed his previous fastest of 56 balls against Mumbai Indians in 2022, and he went on to break Rishabh Pant’s 128 not out from 2018 as the highest score by a Delhi Capitals batter.
Nitish Rana contributed 91 runs with 11 fours and four sixes, supporting Rahul effectively. Their efforts helped Delhi Capitals post 264 for 2 in 20 overs, setting a challenging target for Punjab Kings.
