IPL 2026 Today's Match: DC vs RCB playing 11, batters vs bowlers matchups

The Delhi Capitals (DC) will take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on April 27 in Match 39 of IPL 2026.

 

DC come into this clash after a heavy defeat against Punjab Kings, despite a stunning 152 off 67 balls from KL Rahul in a high-scoring encounter where they failed to defend 264. Their concerns were further increased by an injury setback, as South African pacer Lungi Ngidi had to be subbed out early in the match due to a concussion. With just three wins from seven games, DC find themselves under pressure at the midway stage of the season and will need a strong turnaround to stay in playoff contention.

 

 

On the other hand, RCB arrive in excellent form after securing a convincing five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans. They concluded their home leg with an impressive four wins in five matches and now begin a three-game away stretch. The defending champions have enjoyed a strong campaign so far, winning five out of seven games, and continue to look like one of the most balanced sides in the tournament.

 

The last meeting between the two teams took place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where DC came out on top by chasing down 176 with six wickets in hand and just one ball remaining, handing RCB their only home defeat of that leg.

 

Axar Patel’s captaincy record in IPL (DC)

Matches: 21

Wins: 11

Losses: 9

N/R: 1

Win percentage: 52.38%

 

Rajat Patidar’s captaincy record in IPL (RCB)

Matches: 23

Wins: 16

Losses: 7

N/R: 0

Win percentage: 69.57%

 

IPL 2026: DC playing 11 vs RCB

 

KL Rahul is in outstanding form after his unbeaten 152 against Punjab Kings and will continue to be the key batter for Delhi Capitals. He is expected to open alongside Prithvi Shaw, allowing DC flexibility with overseas combinations as Pathum Nissanka has struggled. 

 

Nitish Rana has been in excellent touch at No. 3 with consistent big scores, while Sameer Rizvi has shown flashes but lacks recent consistency. Tristan Stubbs remains a dependable finisher, and David Miller adds depth at the death. Axar Patel is struggling with the bat but bowling well, supported by Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, and Chameera.

 

Delhi Capitals Playing 11: Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), David Miller, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Dushmantha Chameera

 

Impact Player: Sameer Rizvi 

 

DC squad for IPL 2026: Abishek Porel, KL Rahul, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Ashutosh Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, David Miller, Auqib Nabi Dar, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Kyle Jamieson, T Natarajan, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Karun Nair

 

IPL 2026: RCB playing 11 vs DC

 

Virat Kohli will continue to open the innings for RCB at his home ground in Delhi, partnering Jacob Bethell after Phil Salt’s injury, giving the young English batter a big opportunity. Captain Rajat Patidar has been outstanding this season, especially in the middle overs. Jitesh Sharma has struggled with the bat, scoring only 62 runs in six innings, and will aim to improve. 

 

Tim David and Romario Shepherd provide explosive finishing power. Krunal Pandya leads the spin unit while contributing with the bat. RCB’s bowling success is driven by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood with the new ball.

 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Playing 11: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Mangesh Yadav 

 

Impact Player: Devdutt Padikkal 

 

RCB squad for IPL 2026: Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Philip Salt, Jacob Bethell, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Nuwan Thushara, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Mangesh Yadav, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan, Jitesh Sharma, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Satvik Deswal

 

IPL 2026: DC vs RCB key player battles

 

Kuldeep Yadav vs Rajat Patidar

 

This middle-overs duel could play a decisive role in the outcome of the match. Kuldeep Yadav’s accuracy and control will be tested against Rajat Patidar’s fearless and aggressive approach against spin. The RCB captain is known for taking on spinners, but Kuldeep has often troubled him. In their two previous T20 meetings, Patidar has scored 16 runs off 13 balls and has also been dismissed once. This contest could heavily influence momentum in the middle phase.

 

Axar Patel vs Virat Kohli

 

Axar Patel will look to use his discipline and variations against Virat Kohli, one of the most consistent batters in IPL history. Kohli’s experience and ability to handle spin make this a high-quality matchup, especially during the middle overs. Axar has the ability to slow down scoring and build pressure, while Kohli will aim to rotate strike and punish loose deliveries. This battle between control and class could be crucial in shaping the innings.

 

KL Rahul vs Josh Hazlewood

 

This is a premium clash between two elite performers. KL Rahul comes into this game in sensational form after his unbeaten 152 in the previous match, while Josh Hazlewood brings world-class accuracy and new-ball discipline for RCB. Rahul has enjoyed success against the Australian pacer in T20s, scoring 135 runs off 78 balls at a strike rate of 173.07 in 10 innings. However, Hazlewood’s ability to strike early makes this a key battle in the powerplay phase.