PBKS chase 262, Rahul's 152 goes in vain

Punjab Kings pulled off one of the greatest chases in IPL history, as PBKS chased down 262 to beat Delhi Capitals by six wickets, despite KL Rahul’s unbeaten 152. The result turned a record-breaking innings into a losing effort, with Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer leading the response.

Punjab Kings finished on 265 for 4, overhauling Delhi Capitals’ 264 for 2, with Shreyas unbeaten on 71, Prabhsimran scoring 76, and Arya contributing 43 in a relentless chase.

Rahul’s record night sets the stage

KL Rahul produced a historic innings, finishing unbeaten on 152, the highest score by an Indian in IPL history. His century came off 47 balls, and he accelerated further, moving from 100 to 150 in just 19 deliveries.

He shared a 220-run partnership with Nitish Rana, who struck 91 off 44 balls. The stand was the highest for Delhi Capitals and powered them to their highest total.

Rahul was given early chances, dropped on 12 by Shashank Singh, and again on 51 when Vijaykumar Vyshak failed to hold a return catch. He capitalised fully, batting through the innings and finishing strongly with an upper cut off Arshdeep Singh to reach 150.

Despite the dominance, Delhi managed only 35 runs in the final four overs, ending on 264 for 2 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Powerplay assault turns the chase

Punjab’s response began with immediate aggression. Prabhsimran Singh and Arya tore into the bowling, racing to 116 in six overs — the second-highest powerplay total in IPL history.

Arya set the tone early, while Prabhsimran ensured the momentum never dipped, with the pair crossing fifty in just the third over and surging past 100 by the end of the powerplay.

Both fell soon after, dismissed by spin in consecutive overs, briefly opening the door for Delhi Capitals.

Shreyas controls the finish

At 145 for 3 in the tenth over, the chase remained demanding, but Shreyas Iyer took complete control. He attacked Vipraj Nigam, who had come in as a concussion substitute for Lungi Ngidi, and shifted momentum decisively.

Shreyas survived two dropped chances in the 15th over, both put down by Karun Nair. He responded immediately, striking 4, 6, 6 in succession to swing the match firmly Punjab’s way.

He reached his fifty off 26 balls and continued to dominate, taking on T Natarajan with successive sixes to close in on the target. Supported by Shashank Singh, Shreyas ensured Punjab completed the chase with more than an over to spare.

What this result means

Punjab Kings’ successful chase of 262 stands as one of the highest in T20 history, defined by an extraordinary powerplay and a composed finish from Shreyas Iyer. The ability to sustain scoring pressure throughout the innings proved decisive.

For Delhi Capitals, KL Rahul’s 152 not out — despite setting records — was overshadowed by a total that ultimately proved insufficient, as their inability to contain the chase undid a dominant batting display.

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