KL Rahul led Delhi Capitals with a dominant display as Punjab Kings were thoroughly outplayed in their IPL 2026 clash on April 25 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Choosing to bat first, DC posted a massive 264/2, putting on a record-breaking show.
After losing Pathum Nissanka early to Arshdeep Singh, the Capitals took complete control of the innings. Rahul spearheaded the charge, tearing apart the PBKS bowling attack, while Nitish Rana provided excellent support with a free-flowing knock that kept the momentum intact.
KL Rahul reached his half-century in just 26 balls and then accelerated to bring up his century in 47 deliveries. Rana matched his intensity, scoring a brisk fifty off 29 balls before falling agonisingly short of a hundred with a well-made 91 off 44 balls.
Rahul, however, remained unstoppable, finishing unbeaten on 152 off 67 balls, laced with 16 fours and nine sixes, as DC capped off a commanding batting performance that left fans in awe at the Delhi venue. Here are some twitter reactions:
🚨 KL RAHUL IS BACK !🔥🥶
– The moment KL Rahul reached his century and his brilliant celebration.🤯 pic.twitter.com/3eAIfKcaGs
— lndian Sports Netwrk (@IS_Netwrk29) April 25, 2026
KL Rahul is one of those players whom I feel has not achieved as much as he possesses in terms of talent and potential. KL Rahul in full flow like today, however, is a real treat. He appears as a blank cheque you can cash when you are sitting alone, weathering your own battles.… pic.twitter.com/MmscHqn8LH
— Caught At Silly Point (@atsillypoint) April 25, 2026
KL Rahul always comes up with one of the coldest celebrations after scores century 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tNdmBERS9g
— PM 👑 (@Vkohlic18) April 25, 2026
KL Rahul went from 21st position to 1st position in Orange Cap race in just 1 innings 🥶 pic.twitter.com/wIK7zTijSz
— Ishan Anand 🇮🇳 (@Jha_ishan07) April 25, 2026
Tired, breathless, but firmly holding the Orange Cap! 🧡
🎥 Hear from KL Rahul as he breaks down his sensational 1️⃣5️⃣2️⃣* in the sweltering New Delhi conditions ☀️ pic.twitter.com/Jg4PsVTMUs
— Content Soul✌️🎯🩵 (@rajeshkodavati) April 25, 2026
KL Rahul be like : pic.twitter.com/fO9xK6BIMp
— DN Cricket (@DNCricket2002) April 25, 2026
HISTORY CREATED BY KL RAHUL. 🚨
KL Rahul becomes the first Indian batter to score 150 in the IPL. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zJfke0tTrf
— Ishan Anand 🇮🇳 (@Jha_ishan07) April 25, 2026
KL Rahul Silences Doubts Over Delhi’s Batting with Century
Rahul didn’t ease off after reaching his century. He kept attacking, driving Delhi Capitals towards a massive total. His 220-run partnership with Nitish Rana proved decisive, with Rahul himself remaining unbeaten on a stunning 152 off 67 balls.
In doing so, he became the first Indian to score 150-plus in a single IPL innings. His knock now ranks third among the highest individual scores in IPL history, behind Chris Gayle’s 175* and Brendon McCullum’s 158*. Riding on the duo’s brilliance, DC finished with a commanding 264/2 in 20 overs.
The significance of this hundred lies in its timing. While Delhi had plenty of big names, they needed someone to anchor a match-defining innings, and Rahul delivered exactly that foundation for the rest to build on.
What made the knock even more valuable was the context. It wasn’t a carefree innings but came while setting a daunting target against a well-rounded Punjab attack featuring Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Marcus Stoinis.
With a mix of pace, bounce, spin, and control, Punjab posed a real challenge, but Rahul’s innings forced them onto the back foot. The century also elevated Rahul’s stature in IPL history. With six hundreds in the tournament, he has consistently delivered elite performances across seasons and teams.
Often criticised for his strike rate, knocks like this go beyond mere accumulation, this was a statement innings marked by pure dominance.
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