It was a day to forget for the bowlers at the Arun Jaitley Stadium as Delhi Capitals hosted Punjab Kings on Saturday afternoon. What unfolded was a full-blown run-fest, with the batters showing little concern for the scorching Delhi heat and going after everything on offer. Timing and intent took centre stage as both sides kept the scoreboard racing at a rapid pace. In the end, Punjab Kings scripted IPL history by chasing down the highest total in the league. They overhauled 265 with seven balls to spare, chasing at a required rate of more than 13 runs per over with remarkable ease. It was a fearless effort from start to finish, reflecting the modern T20 approach where even towering targets are no longer seen as out of reach.
PBKS broke their own 2024 record by chasing 261 against Kolkata Knight Riders, though at that time current Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer was leading the opposition.
Highest successful run chases in IPL history
PBKS- 264 against DC in 2026
PBKS- 261 against KKR in 2024
SRH- 245 against PBKS in 2025
RCB- 227 against LSG in 2025
RR- 223 against PBKS in 2025
Punjab Kings openers set the tone in the chase, tearing into the Delhi Capitals attack in the powerplay and racing to 116 in six overs, the second-most expensive powerplay in IPL history.
100-plus scores in Overs 1-6 in the IPL
125/0 – SRH vs DC, Delhi, 2024
116/0 – PBKS vs DC, Delhi, 2026
107/0 – SRH vs LSG, Hyderabad, 2024
105/0 – SRH vs PBKS, Mullanpur, 2026
105/0 – KKR vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2017
100/2 – CSK vs PBKS, Mumbai WS, 2014
A record-breaking day for KL Rahul
Earlier, KL Rahul showcased his class once again, proving he can adapt seamlessly to the modern T20 approach as he smashed an unbeaten 152. With that knock, he became the first Indian to reach the landmark and now holds the third-highest individual score in IPL history. His 152* places him alongside Chris Gayle (175*) and Brendon McCullum (158*) in an elite group, while also moving past Abhishek Sharma’s 141 to underline the scale and impact of his innings.
Highest individual scores in the IPL
175* – Chris Gayle (RCB) vs PWI, Bengaluru, 2013
158* – Brendon McCullum (KKR) vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2008
152* – KL Rahul (DC) vs PBKS, Delhi, 2026
141 – Abhishek Sharma (SRH) vs PBKS, Hyderabad, 2025
Meanwhile, in terms of the highest individual T20 score by an Indian, Rahul moved past Tilak Varma on the list, having earlier scored 151 against Meghalaya in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024.
Highest individual scores by an Indian in Men’s T20s
152* – KL Rahul vs PBKS, Delhi, 2026
151 – Tilak Varma vs Meghalaya, Rajkot, 2024
148 – Abhishek Sharma vs Bengal, Secunderabad, 2025
147 – Shreyas Iyer vs Sikkim, Indore, 2019
146* – Punit Bisht vs Mizoram, Chennai, 2021
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It was a record-breaking day for Rahul as he rewrote many records with a knock for the ages. It was his sixth century in the IPL, which made him tie with West Indies legend Chris Gayle.
Most IPL hundreds
8 – Virat Kohli
7 – Jos Buttler
6 – Chris Gayle
6 – KL Rahul
5 – Sanju Samson
Rahul and Nitish Rana (91) put on a record 220-run stand for Delhi Capitals off just 96 balls after opting to bat. It now stands as the second-highest partnership for any wicket in IPL history.
Highest partnerships in the IPL (any wicket)
229 – AB de Villiers & Virat Kohli vs GL, Bengaluru, 2016
220 – KL Rahul & Nitish Rana vs PBKS, Delhi, 2026
215* – AB de Villiers & Virat Kohli vs MI, Mumbai WS, 2015
210* – KL Rahul & Quinton de Kock vs KKR, Mumbai DYP, 2022
210 – Sai Sudharsan & Shubman Gill vs CSK, Ahmedabad, 2024