punjab kings vs delhi capitals timeline
Table of Contents
The Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals have been part of the IPL story since the tournament’s inaugural season, with the rivalry continuing through franchise name changes, different venues, changing captains and several memorable finishes. Punjab competed for many years as Kings XI Punjab, while Delhi previously played as Delhi Daredevils. Their meetings have produced high-scoring chases, dramatic collapses, close finishes and standout individual performances. The latest chapter came in IPL 2026, when the teams split their two league meetings. This punjab kings vs delhi capitals timeline takes readers through the major encounters from 2008 to 2026, including match results, important milestones, record performances, recent meetings and the overall head-to-head picture.
Latest Match punjab kings vs delhi capitals
1st Innings: Punjab Kings (PBKS) — 210/5 (20 Overs)
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priyansh Arya | c Stubbs b Tiwari | 56 | 33 | 2 | 6 | 169.70 |
| Shreyas Iyer | c Patel b Starc | 59 | 36 | 5 | 3 | 163.89 |
| Cooper Connolly | c Miller b Starc | 38 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 140.74 |
| Suryansh Shedge | c Rahul b Tiwari | 21 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 262.50 |
| Prabhsimran Singh | b Mukesh Kumar | 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 120.00 |
2nd Innings: Delhi Capitals (DC) — 216/7 (19 Overs)
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axar Patel | c Iyer b Stoinis | 56 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 186.67 |
| David Miller | c Connolly b Dwarshuis | 51 | 28 | 3 | 4 | 182.14 |
| Ashutosh Sharma | c sub (P Dubey) b Thakur | 24 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 240.00 |
| Madhav Tiwari | c Shedge b Thakur | 18 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 225.00 |
| Sahil Parakh | c Stoinis b Arshdeep | 13 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 216.67 |
| Tristan Stubbs | c Shedge b Arshdeep | 12 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 70.59 |
| Auqib Nabi | not out | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 500.00 |
| KL Rahul | c Connolly b Stoinis | 9 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 112.50 |
Top Performance Tables (IPL 2026, Match 55)
Top Batting Impact
| Player | Team | Runs | Balls Faced | Fours | Sixes | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shreyas Iyer | PBKS | 59 | 36 | 5 | 3 | 163.89 |
| Axar Patel | DC | 56 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 186.67 |
| Priyansh Arya | PBKS | 56 | 33 | 2 | 6 | 169.70 |
| David Miller | DC | 51 | 28 | 3 | 4 | 182.14 |
| Cooper Connolly | PBKS | 38 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 140.74 |
Top Bowling Impact
| Bowler | Team | Overs | Wickets | Runs Given | Economy Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arshdeep Singh | PBKS | 4.0 | 2 | 21 | 5.25 |
| Madhav Tiwari | DC | 4.0 | 2 | 40 | 10.00 |
| Mitchell Starc | DC | 4.0 | 2 | 57 | 14.25 |
| Mukesh Kumar | DC | 4.0 | 1 | 31 | 7.75 |
Last 5 Head-to-Head Encounters
| Date | Venue | Winner | Margin | Match Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2026 | Dharamshala | Delhi Capitals | Won by 3 wickets | Match 55, IPL 2026 |
| April 18, 2026 | Delhi | Delhi Capitals | Won by 6 wickets | Match 22, IPL 2026 |
| May 17, 2025 | Dharamshala | Delhi Capitals | Won by 15 runs | League Stage, IPL 2025 |
| May 13, 2025 | Delhi | Punjab Kings | Won by 31 runs | League Stage, IPL 2025 |
| April 20, 2024 | Mullanpur | Delhi Capitals | Won by 9 wickets | League Stage, IPL 2024 |
Overall Head-to-Head Record
| Format | Total Matches | Punjab Kings Wins | Delhi Capitals Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL League Matches | 34 | 16 | 18 | 0 |
| Playoffs / Knockouts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All-Time Total | 34 | 16 | 18 | 0 |
Rivalry Milestones & Stat Leaderboard
- Highest Team Score (DC): 216/7 at Dharamshala (May 11, 2026)
- Highest Team Score (PBKS): 210/5 at Dharamshala (May 11, 2026)
- Lowest Team Score (PBKS): 111 all out at Delhi (2016)
- Lowest Team Score (DC): 67 all out at Mohali (2017)
Memorable Encounters
2017: Punjab’s 10-Wicket Rout
One of the clearest victories in the rivalry came in April 2017.
Delhi were bowled out for just 67 in 17.1 overs at Mohali. Sandeep Sharma was the main destroyer, taking 4/20, while Martin Guptill then struck an unbeaten 50 as Punjab completed the chase without losing a wicket. It was Punjab’s first 10-wicket victory in IPL history and Delhi’s lowest total in the tournament at that time.
The match remains important because it shows how quickly a T20 contest between these sides can disappear from one team’s control.
2018: KL Rahul’s 14-Ball Fifty
The opening match between the teams in 2018 produced one of the most recognizable individual moments.
Delhi made 166/7, with Gautam Gambhir scoring 55. Punjab then launched an aggressive chase, led by KL Rahul’s 51 from only 16 balls. Rahul reached his half-century in 14 deliveries, setting an IPL record for the fastest fifty at the time. Punjab won by six wickets.
The reverse fixture was much tighter. Punjab made only 143/8 but successfully defended the total, restricting Delhi to 139/8. Ankit Rajpoot’s 2/23 earned him Player of the Match honors.
2019: Sam Curran’s Hat-Trick
The April 2019 meeting in Mohali produced one of the most dramatic bowling spells in the matchup.
Punjab scored 166/9. Delhi appeared to be in control of the chase at 144/3, but Sam Curran changed the game late. He finished with 4/11, including a hat-trick, as Delhi collapsed to 152 all out.
The official IPL report noted that Curran became the youngest bowler to take an IPL hat-trick at the age of 20 years and 302 days.
Delhi won the return fixture later that month, chasing 164 with two balls remaining. Shreyas Iyer made an unbeaten 58.
2020: The Super Over Thriller
The first meeting of IPL 2020 remains one of the most unusual games in the rivalry.
Delhi scored 157/8 in Dubai. Punjab matched the total, also finishing on 157/8, sending the contest into a Super Over.
Mayank Agarwal’s 89 from 60 balls had brought Punjab close to victory, but Marcus Stoinis took two late wickets to force the tie. Kagiso Rabada then bowled the Super Over for Delhi, dismissing KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran. Delhi needed only three runs and completed the job.
The return meeting was different. Punjab chased 165/5 after Nicholas Pooran made 53, winning by five wickets.
Tournament Meetings
The matchup has almost always been part of the IPL league stage. Neither side has faced the other in an IPL playoff or final.
That gives the rivalry a distinctive character. The history has been built through regular-season contests, where points, net run rate and playoff qualification can make a single result important.
The 2023 season demonstrated this clearly. Punjab beat Delhi by 31 runs in Delhi on May 13, with Prabhsimran Singh scoring his maiden IPL century, 103 from 65 balls. Delhi then responded four days later in Dharamsala, winning by 15 runs after Rilee Rossouw made 82* from 37 balls.
| Season | Venue | Punjab Kings Result | Delhi Capitals Result | Key Match Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Delhi & Dharamsala | Won 1 match | Won 1 match | Prabhsimran Singh scored 103 in Punjab’s victory |
| 2024 | Mullanpur | Won | Lost | Sam Curran’s 63 helped Punjab chase 175 |
| 2025 | Jaipur | Lost | Won | Delhi chased 207 with three balls remaining |
| 2026 | Delhi & Dharamsala | Won 1 match | Won 1 match | Punjab chased 265 before Delhi won the return fixture |
Historic Wins
Punjab’s historic victories have generally come in two forms: dominant bowling displays or extraordinary batting acceleration.
The 2017 10-wicket win belongs to the first category. Delhi’s 67 was followed by a comfortable chase.
The 2018 six-wicket victory belongs to the second category, with KL Rahul’s 14-ball fifty setting the tempo almost immediately.
The 2026 victory belongs to an entirely different category. Punjab successfully chased 265, the highest successful chase in IPL history at that point. Prabhsimran Singh’s 76 from 26 balls and Priyansh Arya’s 43 from 17 gave Punjab 116 without losing a wicket in the powerplay. Shreyas Iyer then finished unbeaten on 71 from 36.
Why the Timeline Matters
A timeline does more than list winners. It shows how the character of the matchup has changed.
The early contests were often decided by conventional T20 margins. Later matches increasingly featured aggressive batting, specialist death bowling and dramatic momentum shifts.
The 2017 game highlighted the value of early wickets. The 2018 contest showed how a powerplay explosion could virtually settle the chase. The 2019 meeting demonstrated how one late bowling spell could overturn a match. The 2020 Super Over showed the smallest possible margin between victory and defeat.
The 2023 and 2026 games then pushed the batting ceiling higher. In 2023, Prabhsimran’s century was enough to define one meeting. In 2026, even 264/2 was not enough for Delhi.
Major Records
| Record | Figure | Holder | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest team total | 265/4 | Punjab Kings | 2026 |
| Highest DC total | 264/2 | Delhi Capitals | 2026 |
| Highest individual score | 152* | KL Rahul | 2026 |
| Punjab’s top individual score before 2026 | 103 | Prabhsimran Singh | 2023 |
| Lowest team total | 67 | Delhi Capitals | 2017 |
| Fastest fifty in fixture | 14 balls | KL Rahul | 2018 |
| Best-known hat-trick spell | 4/11 | Sam Curran | 2019 |
| Super Over match | 157-157 | Delhi won | 2020 |
KL Rahul’s 152* and Punjab’s 265/4 are particularly notable because they occurred in the same match. Delhi’s 264/2 would have been a winning total in many IPL games, but Punjab’s response produced the highest successful chase in the franchise matchup’s history.
What Makes the Rivalry Statistically Interesting?
One of the most striking features is the number of close finishes.
There have been narrow wins by four runs, five runs, six runs and seven runs, along with a Super Over. At the other end of the spectrum, the matchup has also produced a 10-wicket victory and several substantial run-margin wins.
Another defining feature is the ability of both teams to win while chasing.
The 2024 Punjab victory came while chasing 175. The 2025 Delhi victory came while chasing 207. The two 2026 meetings continued that pattern, with Punjab chasing 265 and Delhi chasing 211.
This makes the fixture particularly useful for readers researching match scorecards, individual performances, historic results and season-by-season records.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals first play in the IPL?
Their first IPL meeting took place on April 27, 2008, at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali. Punjab won by four wickets after chasing Delhi’s 158/8. The franchises were then known as Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Daredevils.
What is the overall head-to-head record between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals?
After the two meetings in IPL 2026, the teams had played 36 completed IPL matches. Punjab Kings had won 18 and Delhi Capitals had also won 18, leaving the overall record level.
What is the highest-scoring match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals?
The highest-scoring meeting came on April 25, 2026, at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Delhi scored 264/2 before Punjab chased the target with 265/4 in 18.5 overs. The match produced 529 combined runs.
Who has scored the highest individual score in this rivalry?
KL Rahul holds the mark after scoring an unbeaten 152 from 67 balls for Delhi in the April 2026 meeting. His innings included 16 fours and nine sixes.
What was the most dramatic match between the teams?
The September 2020 contest in Dubai is one of the most dramatic because both teams finished on 157/8 after 20 overs. Delhi then won the Super Over after Kagiso Rabada dismissed KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran.
Conclusion
The Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals rivalry has produced memorable IPL moments across different eras, from close finishes and dominant wins to record-breaking batting performances. Their meetings have featured standout players, dramatic chases, brilliant bowling spells and matches decided by the smallest margins. The 2018 contest highlighted KL Rahul’s explosive batting, while Sam Curran’s 2019 hat-trick became a defining bowling moment. More recently, the teams have continued to deliver high-scoring games and competitive finishes. With the head-to-head record remaining closely balanced, every new meeting adds another chapter to the history. Their changing squads and aggressive approach ensure this IPL contest remains one to watch.
