The 35th match of the IPL 2026 season presents a crucial encounter as the Delhi Capitals (DC) host the table-topping Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Arun Jaitley
Stadium. This fixture is a classic tale of contrasting momentum. The Punjab Kings are in scintillating form, remaining unbeaten with five wins and a washout, firmly holding the top spot.
They arrive fresh off crushing the Lucknow Super Giants by 54 runs after posting a record-breaking 254-7. Delhi Capitals have had a mixed run, slipping to fifth place (three wins, three losses) and desperately needing course correction after losing three of their last four matches, including a heavy 47-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Delhi Capitals find themselves wrestling with internal inconsistencies, particularly in maximizing the powerplay and accelerating through the middle overs. Meanwhile, the Punjab Kings have looked virtually flawless across all departments, with their batting unit emerging as their biggest strength. Four PBKS batters have already crossed the 200-run mark this season, making them a terrifying prospect for any bowling attack.
DC vs PBKS Match Schedule
- Match: Delhi Capitals (DC) vs Punjab Kings (PBKS)
- Date & Time: Saturday, April 25, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST (Toss at 7:00 PM IST)
- Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
- Captains: Axar Patel (DC), Shreyas Iyer (PBKS)
DC vs PBKS Probable Playing XI
Delhi Capitals (DC): Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (wk), Sameer Rizvi, Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), David Miller, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Lungi Ngidi.
Punjab Kings (PBKS): Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
DC vs PBKS Head-to-Head
Historically, matchups between these two northern rivals have been tightly contested, though Punjab currently holds all the momentum.
- Match Played: 33
- DC Wins: 16
- PBKS Wins: 17
- No Result: 0
DC vs PBKS Prediction: Who will Win Match Today?
This matchup is billed as an unstoppable force meeting a desperate home team. While the Arun Jaitley Stadium typically offers a sluggish surface that rewards disciplined spin bowling which plays right into the hands of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, PBKS simply looks too powerful across the board.
The battle between Kuldeep Yadav and Shreyas Iyer will be fascinating, but Punjab's sheer depth gives them the edge. With aggressive batters like Priyansh Arya who strike at over 180 against spin, PBKS has the tools to dismantle Delhi's greatest strength. Furthermore, Yuzvendra Chahal's exceptional record against the Capitals makes the PBKS bowling attack highly potent on this turning track. Expect PBKS to leverage their unmatched batting firepower and Chahal's middle-over mastery to extend their unbeaten streak and hand the Capitals another damaging defeat.
Match Prediction: Punjab Kings to win this match.
