Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals head into Match 43 of IPL 2026 on contrasting trajectories, with the clash on Friday, May 1 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur shaping up as a test of form vs fragility.
RR are nestled in the top four with 12 points from nine matches (6 wins, 3 losses) and a strong net run rate of +0.617, a victory tonight will take them right up to the top of the IPL 2026 points table. DC, meanwhile, sit seventh with just six points (3 wins, 5 losses) and a worrying NRR of -1.060, coming into this game on the back of a three-game losing streak.
The Royals come into this fixture after chasing down 222 with two balls to spare, handing table-toppers Punjab Kings a first defeat of the season. Yashasvi Jaiswal (51 off 27 balls) and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (43 off 16) laid the foundation before Donovan Ferreira's unbeaten 52 off 26 sealed the chase.
Delhi Capitals' most recent outing meanwhile was a spectacular 75-run batting collapse at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Abhishek Porel (30), David Miller (19) and Kyle Jamieson (12) were the only batters to reach double-digits as The Capitals were bowled out in 16.3 overs.
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RCB completed the chase within the powerplay to win by nine wickets with 81 balls to spare. Before that game, DC had posted 264 against PBKS at the same venue but still ended up on the losing side, highlighting their struggles this season.
Delhi Capitals could welcome back Lungi Ngidi, who missed the last game due to concussion protocols after a head injury sustained in the PBKS match. Mitchell Starc is also set to return, adding experience to an under-pressure pace unit.
Rajasthan Royals have no major injury concerns. Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who had a minor fitness scare earlier in the season, has returned and remains available.
Venue And Match Timing
The Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals match is scheduled to be played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, from 7:30 PM IST on Friday, May 1.
Head-to-Head
Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals have been difficult to separate historically, making this one of the tightest IPL rivalries. Across 30 meetings, RR hold a marginal edge with 15 wins to DC's 14.
The last encounter between these two in 2025 ended in a tie and was decided in a Super Over, which Delhi Capitals won.
Pitch And Weather Report
The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur has traditionally offered a balanced, slightly two-paced surface with some early movement for pacers and assistance for spinners in the middle overs, though recent matches suggest a shift towards higher-scoring conditions if a flatter track is used.
Evening temperatures are expected to hover around 28°C–30°C, with low humidity but significant dew likely to set in during the second innings, making bowling difficult and strengthening the case for teams to chase after winning the toss.
Predicted Playing XIs
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag (C), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubham Dubey, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma.
Delhi Capitals: KL Rahul (WK), Sahil Parakh, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel (C), 9 Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Dushmantha Chameera.
How To Watch Live Telecast
The Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network.
How To Watch Live Streaming
The match will be available for live streaming on the JioHotstar app and website.
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