Post-Match Analysis
Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
RCB won by 9 wickets (with 81 balls remaining)
Tue, 28 Apr, 2026 · 01:00 am IST · T20
Momentum Chart
PitchIQ MOTM
Josh Hazlewood
Hazlewood was the architect of RCB's dominant victory, taking 4 wickets for just 12 runs in 3.3 overs with an outstanding economy rate of 3.4. His bowling performance was the primary reason Delhi Capitals collapsed to just 75 all out, setting up an easy chase that RCB completed with 81 balls to spare.
Scorecard
Delhi Capitals Inning 1
75/10 (16.3 ov)
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahil Parakhbowled | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| KL Rahulcatch | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.3 |
| Nitish Ranacatch | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 11.1 |
| Sameer Rizvicatch | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Tristan Stubbscatch | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 166.7 |
| Axar Patelcatch | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Abishek Porelbowled | 30 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 90.9 |
| David Millercatch | 19 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 105.6 |
| Kyle Jamiesonlbw | 12 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 92.3 |
| Kuldeep Yadavbowled | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 27.3 |
| Dushmantha Chameera | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1.7 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 3.3 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 3.4 |
| Rasikh Salam Dar | 2 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 10.5 |
| Romario Shepherd | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10.5 |
| Suyash Sharma | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1.8 |
| Krunal Pandya | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 4.5 |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Inning 1
77/1 (6.3 ov)
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Bethellcatch | 20 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 181.8 |
| Virat Kohli | 23 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 153.3 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | 34 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 261.5 |
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Jamieson | 3 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 14.0 |
| Dushmantha Chameera | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 9.0 |
| Axar Patel | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5.0 |
| T Natarajan | 0.3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 24.0 |
Match Analysis
Ideal XI vs Actual XI
Overall 63%Delhi Capitals
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
⚡ Impact Player
Delhi Capitals — Our Rec
Ajay Mandal (AR)
Actual
Abishek Porel✗ Different
Royal Challengers Bengaluru — Our Rec
Vihaan Malhotra (AR)
Actual
Jacob Bethell✗ Different
Ideal XI vs Actual XI: DC vs RCB Accountability Report
Where We Got It Right
Our RCB selections proved their worth in a dominant 9-wicket victory. Josh Hazlewood was clinical with 3/5 in 3 overs at an economy of just 1.7 - exactly the kind of incisive new-ball bowling we backed him for. Bhuvneshwar Kumar complemented perfectly with 4/12 in 3.3 overs, delivering the experienced seam threat we identified as crucial.
In the chase, our picks Virat Kohli (20 off 11, SR 181.82) and Rajat Patidar (34* off 13, SR 261.54) made light work of the target. Patidar's explosive finishing was precisely why we rated him so highly - form, venue compatibility, and big-match temperament all vindicated.
For Delhi Capitals, our core picks showed their class even in defeat. Axar Patel top-scored with 30 off 33 - the only batsman to show fight in a collective collapse. Kuldeep Yadav was their most economical bowler (1/7 in 4 overs, eco 1.8), proving our spin selection logic sound despite the team's struggles.
Where We Got It Wrong
Mitchell Starc's absence hurt DC badly. Our 9.3-rated pace spearhead missed out while the actual bowling attack leaked runs everywhere except through Kuldeep. The opening bowling partnership of Chameera (0/21 in 2 overs, eco 10.5) and Jamieson (0/21 in 2 overs, eco 10.5) was expensive, lacking the wicket-taking punch Starc provides.
Phil Salt's omission cost RCB early momentum. While the chase was comfortable, Salt's 8.9 rating and excellent venue record suggested he could have accelerated even faster than Kohli's eventual 181.82 strike rate.
Our Prithvi Shaw miss (8.7 rating) was telling - DC's opening partnership managed just 1 run combined before both fell cheaply. Shaw's aggressive approach might have set a different tone entirely.
The Surprises
Romario Shepherd's inclusion over Jacob Bethell initially puzzled us, but RCB's balance worked perfectly. However, when they did bring Bethell in as Impact Player, it showed they valued his versatility for the chase phase.
Sahil Parakh and Sameer Rizvi starting for DC proved disastrous - combining for 1 run off 12 balls. These surprise selections over our higher-rated Shaw and Nissanka exposed the top order fatally.
Kyle Jamieson's return (not in our XI) struggled with 0/21 in 2 overs at 10.5 economy, while our preferred Mukesh Kumar might have offered better control with his 7.8 rating.
Impact Player Call
We recommended Vihaan Malhotra for RCB (extra batting depth bowling first) while they used Jacob Bethell. With such a small chase, the impact was minimal, but Bethell's all-round skills proved more valuable than pure batting depth.
For DC, we suggested Ajay Mandal (extra bowling depth batting first) while they used Abishek Porel. Given the batting collapse to 75 all out, extra bowling depth wouldn't have mattered - they needed Porel's batting skills more urgently, making their call retrospectively correct.
Verdict
RCB achieved 67% accuracy to our Ideal XI and won convincingly, while DC managed just 58% and collapsed spectacularly. The correlation is clear - RCB trusted our core selections (Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar, Kohli, Patidar) who delivered match-winning performances.
DC's deviations proved costly. Dropping Starc and Shaw for untested options backfired immediately, while RCB's minor tweaks (keeping Shepherd, using Bethell smartly) enhanced rather than undermined their balance.
The higher accuracy team won decisively - validation that our pre-match analysis identified the right combinations, even if execution and team selection diverged.