Jaipur, May 1, 2026 – The Rajasthan Royals opted to bat first against the Delhi Capitals in their IPL 2026 fixture at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. The decision saw Mitchell Starc strike early, removing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal within the first over. Rajasthan stood at 7 runs for 1 wicket after 1.3 overs at the time of reporting.
The match began with Rajasthan Royals winning the toss and electing to bat, a common tactic employed by in-form teams seeking to leverage early momentum. The Delhi Capitals, looking to rebound from recent struggles, face an uphill battle against a Rajasthan side that has found a strong rhythm.
Starc's Return, Jaiswal's Exit
Mitchell Starc marked his return to the Delhi Capitals lineup by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal for 6 runs off 3 balls. Jaiswal, who had greeted Starc with a boundary, was caught and bowled by the Australian pacer. The early wicket leaves Dhruv Jurel to steady the innings alongside Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Nears Milestones
Amidst the match proceedings, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is reportedly on the cusp of significant batting records. He needs just one more six to reach 100 sixes in T20 cricket, a feat that would also make him the fastest to achieve this milestone. Furthermore, he is noted to be close to breaking Abhishek Sharma's IPL record for the most sixes in a season, having already amassed 400 runs with a remarkable strike rate in IPL 2026.
Team Lineups and Conditions
Rajasthan Royals are fielding: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma.
Delhi Capitals are fielding: KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan.
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The match is being played under a sweltering 40 degrees Celsius heat in Jaipur, with heavy air expected to persist into the evening.
Broader Context
The Delhi Capitals, led by Axar Patel, are seeking a turnaround in their IPL 2026 campaign, having endured a series of defeats. Their recent performance against RCB saw them bowled out for a historic low of 75. Conversely, the Rajasthan Royals, captained by Riyan Parag, arrive with considerable momentum, having secured six wins in their last nine matches. This encounter marks the 43rd match of the IPL 2026 season.
