Delhi Capitals face Punjab Kings in match 35 of IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday, with the unbeaten visitors looking to extend their strong run. Punjab have emerged as one of the form teams this season, while Delhi are still searching for consistency.
The clash matters for both sides as the league nears the halfway stage. Punjab Kings are building momentum near the top of the table, while Delhi Capitals need points to stay in touch with the playoff race.
Punjab Kings have won five of their six matches so far. Their only unfinished outing came when rain stopped play against Kolkata Knight Riders. The side led by Shreyas Iyer has already beaten Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants.
The batting unit has powered that run. Cooper Connolly, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh and Iyer have all crossed 200 runs this season and each has scored at least two half-centuries. Connolly leads the charts for Punjab with 223 runs.
Bowling remains an area to watch. Arshdeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak are the joint-leading wicket takers for the side with six each.
Delhi Challenge
Delhi Capitals sit sixth with three wins and three defeats. Victories against Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been offset by losses to Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Their campaign has reflected mixed individual form. Sameer Rizvi started well before slowing down, while KL Rahul has alternated between strong and modest scores. Tristan Stubbs and David Miller have also delivered in patches.
With the ball, Lungi Ngidi has seven wickets, while captain Axar Patel has six.
Weather, Pitch
The India Meteorological Department has forecast heatwave conditions in Delhi on Saturday, with the maximum temperature expected to touch 43°C. As this is an afternoon match, players may have to manage extreme heat and dry conditions.
The pitch is expected to favour batters and could produce another high-scoring contest.
Head-To-Head
Delhi Capitals wins: 17
Punjab Kings wins: 17
No Result: 1
The teams are level after 35 meetings, adding another layer to Saturday's contest.
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Players To Watch
Connolly comes into the game after scoring 87 in the previous match and sharing a 184-run stand with Arya. Punjab will expect another strong start from the all-rounder.
Rahul remains central to Delhi's hopes. A quick start from the wicketkeeper-batter could ease pressure on the middle order and shape the chase or total.
Likely XI
Delhi Capitals: KL Rahul, Pathum Nissanka, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan, Aquib Nabi
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Live Streaming
The match will be broadcast on Star Sports channels. Live streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app.
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