Delhi Capitals set to face red-hot Vaibhav Sooryavanshi:Will Mitchell Starc return as DC aim to keep playoff hopes alive?

The IPL 2026 playoffs race is heating up, and every match at this stage is crucial. Match 43 of the season will see the Rajasthan Royals (RR) host the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday, 30 April. Delhi Capitals’ last two defeats have witnessed their batting experience the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), the Axar Patel-led team posted 264/2. And while taking on defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), DC crashed to 75 all out. Rajasthan Royals, in contrast, have had a stuttering campaign, but the Riyan Parag-led side will be bubbling with confidence after handing a red-hot Punjab Kings their first defeat of the season. It will be interesting to see DC field premier pacer Mitchell Starc, who joined the camp and has had some training under his belt as well. RR vs DC match details Match info: Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals, Match 43
Venue: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Time: 7:30 PM IST, toss at 7:00 PM
How to watch: Star Sports Network (Broadcast), JioHotstar (Streaming)
Where to follow: Catch all live updates on the Bhaskar English App RR vs DC, head-to-head record When it comes to head-to-head records, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals are inseparable, quite literally. The two teams have played 30 matches, with both winning 15 each. In the last meeting between them, DC prevailed in a thrilling super over. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jofra Archer showstoppers for Royals Two of the biggest forces behind the Rajasthan Royals’ success this season have been Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Jofra Archer. The young Sooryavanshi needs no introduction. In nine matches, the 15-year-old has hammered 400 runs at a strike rate of 238.09, and fearless batting has been one of his biggest strengths. In the bowling department, it has been Jofra Archer who has shouldered most of the burden. One of Archer’s highlights this season has been his ability to take wickets with the new ball. The fiery pacer has picked up 14 wickets in nine appearances this season. Spotlight on KL Rahul, Axar Patel as DC eye return to winning ways KL Rahul and Axar Patel, two of the most senior players in the Delhi Capitals’ outfit, will have to shoulder the responsibilities if the team has to find a way to win again. Rahul, following his record-breaking 152*, has emerged as the team’s highest run-scorer with 358 runs in eight matches. Captain Axar is DC’s highest wicket-taker of the season with seven scalps in eight games, conceding runs at an economy rate of 8.33. KL Rahul vs Jofra Archer: A battle to watch out for The RR vs DC match offers fans the chance to witness many player battles, and one of the most awaited ones would be this. Archer, with his ability to strike with the new ball, will come up against Rahul, who would look to take him down early on. Overall, Rahul has hit 90 runs off the 61 balls he has faced from Archer, striking at 147.54. Archer, on his part, has dismissed the DC star once while having an economy rate of 8.85 against him in six innings. Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal once Another exciting player battle to watch out for will be the showdown between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Kuldeep Yadav. In 12 balls, Kuldeep has conceded 19 runs against Jaiswal. The RR opener has scored these runs at a strike rate of 158.33. Kuldeep, who has an economy of 9.50 against Jaiswal, has dismissed him only once. Sawai Mansingh Stadium pitch report There has been only one match so far at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, and we can expect another high-scoring game with both teams packed with explosive batters. Batting might become easier as the game progresses, and hence, the team that wins the toss might prefer chasing, as has been the trend, this season. Jaipur weather report The skies would be clear for the RR vs DC match, with no chances of rain. The temperature is likely to hover between 31 and 38 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere, however, is likely to be humid.