Can DC pull-off all round show to outshine Punjab’s excellence?:Even head-to-head, but Axar bears troubles vs red-hot PBKS

The Delhi Capitals have to perform exceptionally well against almost invincible Punjab Kings to end their stuttering run in IPL 2026. Both sides will clash with each other on Saturday in Match 35 of the Indian Premier League at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Out of the two games that Delhi have played so far at their home, they have won one and lost the second one by a close 1-run margin to the Gujarat Titans. It will be a daunting task for the struggling Delhi outfit, smarting from a comprehensive 47-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, to stand up to a Punjab side that has been firing on all cylinders this season. What Delhi need is a cohesive performance as a unit that they have lacked to deliver so far. Three losses in six games, all thanks to opening flops, patchy batting performance, and fielding inconsistencies from the DC camp. Had the side managed to tick these boxes, Axar might be leading the 2nd invincible side this season. On the other hand, the Punjab Kings are not dependent on a one-man show. Their skipper, Shreyas Iyer, performs when it’s most needed with strong openers like Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya at the top. Meanwhile, the battery of Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marco Jansen, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Xavier Bartlett fumbled but continued to keep the mistakes minimal, which resulted in PBKS being the table toppers currently. Match Details: Match Info: Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings Match 35 IPL 2026 Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi Time: 7:30 PM IST, toss at 7:00 PM IST Where to watch: Star Sports Network (Broadcast), JioHotstar (Streaming) How to follow: Catch all live updates on Bhaskar English App Kuldeep Yadav might blow Punjab Kings’ pillar with discipline In terms of discipline and consistency, the Delhi Capitals have lacked, failing to capitalise on the advantage that they got early in the game. If Kuldeep Yadav wins the battle of the middle overs vs Punjab and dismisses Shreyas Iyer before 10 overs, DC might actually halt the only invincible side so far in IPL this year. Iyer is looking confident, but Kuldeep has dismissed him three times in the tournament, leaking runs at a decent economy of 9.28. Yuzi Chahal can choke runs against the DC opener KL Rahul KL Rahul is known for shifting gears at the right moment and targeting bowlers after settling in. In the matches so far, Yuzvendra Chahal has bowled 83 balls to Rahul at an economy of 9.03. However, the Punjab spinner has managed to dismiss the DC opener only once, proving KL Rahul’s tactic of targeting bowlers. If Chahal gets lucky today, DC middle order might again get under pressure. DC vs PBKS Head-to-Head record The head-to-head record between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals might be even in the IPL, with each side winning 17 games each out of a total of 34 games. However, when it comes to form, PBKS are definitely on top, being the table toppers currently in this season, while DC are at the sixth spot, struggling to deliver a team show so far in the 19th edition of IPL. Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch report The pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is usually known to be a batting-friendly surface. The flat and firm nature of the wicket early in the match allows batters to play their shots freely and score good runs. But as the game progresses, spinners can get some assistance in the middle overs. On top of that, shorter boundaries aided by fast outfield might invoke a high-scoring contest with an average total of 173 at this venue. Delhi weather report On a batting deck like that of Delhi, the heat will test the DC and PBKS batters since it is expected to be a hot evening in Delhi with temperatures between 42°C and 28°C. There is no chance of precipitation. Although the wind gusts at a speed of 35 kmph might provide some relief to the spectators.