DC face elimination threat against RR:Royals’ playoff hopes hanging by thread, Sooryavanshi’s might vs Starc’s pride in focus

It is a ‘do-or-die’ clash for the Delhi Capitals as they host the Rajasthan Royals, who are still alive in the playoff race. But RR cannot breathe easy, as Punjab Kings already hold an extra point due to the washed-out game, and the Royals’ loss will boost their chances of a top-four finish. In terms of cricketing showdowns, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will face in-form Mitchell Starc, whose return has kept the Delhi Capitals still competent in the playoff qualification tussle between franchises. In the last game against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, Delhi enjoyed a winning run riding on Mitchell Starc’s 3-fer and Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul’s winning partnership that sealed the 226-run chase. However, this time the venue is Arun Jaitley Stadium, where the last couple of games have been low scoring. On top of that, DC’s qualification chances (10 points from 12 games) are already slim, and a loss would officially knock them out of the playoff race. Royals (12 points from 11 games), although they are not riding the same boat as Delhi, they still need the win to not make things complicated. DC vs RR Match Details: Match: Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals, Match 62, IPL 2026 Date: 17 May, 2026 Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi Time: 07:30 PM IST, toss at 7:00 PM IST Where to watch: Star Sports network (telecasting), JioHotstar (Streaming) Where to follow: Catch all live updates on the Bhaskar English app. DC vs RR head-to-head record Due to the win that the Delhi Capitals secured against the Rajasthan Royals this season, DC are leading the head-to-head record (16-15) against the Royals. Even the highest total (225 and 226) between these two teams was set in the current edition. Will Starc dismiss Jaiswal again, or will the RR batter charge with the bat? In the previous game that was played at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, Yashasvi Jaiswal charged at Starc with a six into the stands right in the first over. But Starc struck back and caught and bowled the RR opener. In the crucial Sunday clash, it’ll be worth watching how Jaiswal handles the DC seamer without giving away his wicket. Rahul’s footwork vs Jofra Archer’s pace: Who will emerge victorious? KL Rahul is more of a technical batter who handles any kind of delivery with footwork and weight shift. On the other hand, Archer’s pace form with the pace this year is satisfactory, with flashes of brilliance due to the change that he brings up with slower deliveries. Archer has dismissed Rahul twice in the IPL, while Rahul has scored 100 runs at a strike rate of 151.51. Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch report Apart from the second and third matches, played at Arun Jaitley Stadium, no match has turned out to be a high-scoring battle. The rest of the four games had a total of below 170, including the one where RCB bundled out DC for 75 in 1st innings. So it will be a test of technique at Kotla tomorrow instead of hand-eye coordination. Delhi weather report It is expected to be a hot evening in Delhi with temperatures hovering between 42 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius. There is no chance of rain playing spoilsport, but the wind gusts at 41 kmph might provide some help to the seamers in the first innings.