The Delhi Capitals defeated the Rajasthan Royals by 20 runs in a high-scoring thriller in Match 56 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.  The win keeps Delhi's playoff hopes alive, as they move to 12 points in the standings. Rajasthan, who recently lost the top spot to Kolkata Knight Riders, were unable to reclaim it.

Openers Shine for DC

Delhi capitalized on good batting conditions. Openers Jake Fraser-McGurk and Prithvi Shaw got them off to a solid start, putting up a strong total in the powerplay. Fraser-McGurk smashed a quickfire 50 off just 20 balls before falling to Ravichandran Ashwin in the fifth over. Shaw (32) also contributed early runs.

Porel, Stubbs Keep Scoreboard Ticking

Abhishek Porel continued the momentum, anchoring the innings with a well-made 65. Skipper Rishabh Pant (15) fell victim to Yuzvendra Chahal, who became the first Indian bowler to reach 350 T20 wickets with the dismissal.

Tristan Stubbs (41) and Gulbadin Naib provided late impetus, ensuring Delhi crossed the 200-run mark for the second consecutive match. Ashwin was the pick of the Rajasthan bowlers, finishing with economical figures of 3-24 in his four overs.

Samson's Heroics Fall Short

Chasing a stiff target of 222, Rajasthan Royals got off to a shaky start. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) departed early, followed by Jos Buttler (19) soon after. Captain Sanju Samson led the fightback with a brilliant 86, taking his side close to victory. Shubham Dube provided some late fireworks with a 12-ball 25, but Delhi's bowlers held their nerve.

Mukesh Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed picked up two wickets each, restricting Rajasthan to 201 and securing a crucial win for Delhi.