IPL 2026 Clash Tonight: DC vs PBKS Live Score, Playing XI, Match Prediction & Streaming Details

The 35th match of IPL 2026 brings a high-stakes showdown as Delhi Capitals lock horns with table-toppers Punjab Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Skipper Axar Patel finally broke his chasing habit, winning a seventh straight toss and electing to bat first on a surface expected to slow under the Delhi sun. Why this clash matters • Momentum swing: PBKS are unbeaten so far, while DC sit outside the top four and desperately need points to revive their season. • Home pressure: Delhi have lost every 200-plus chase this year; setting a total is their best route to victory. • Play-off arithmetic: A win for Punjab would virtually seal qualification, whereas a Capitals defeat could leave them requiring a near-perfect run-in. Team line-ups and impact options Delhi Capitals (batting first): KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (c), Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T. Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar. Impact pool: Vipraj Nigam, Auqib Nabi, Ashutosh Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair. Punjab Kings (bowling first): Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal. Impact pool: Nehal Wadhera, Suryansh Shedge, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Yash Thakur. Key match-ups to watch 1. Shreyas Iyer vs Kuldeep/Axar spin duo – the Kings captain strikes at 173 against Kuldeep and 152 against Axar, a needle battle in middle overs. 2. Arshdeep Singh vs Delhi finishers – Miller, Stubbs and Nissanka all score at 158+ against the left-armer, setting up a late-innings slugfest. 3. KL Rahul’s power-play vs Bartlett’s heavy new ball – early dominance could define Delhi’s total. Pitch and conditions Light grass with bald patches suggests variable bounce later; temperatures above 35 °C mean a drier track and potential turn for Chahal and Kuldeep. Dew is minimal in a day game, so the toss decision to bat first could be decisive. Stats corner • Head-to-head is 17-17 after 34 meetings, underlining the rivalry’s balance. • PBKS hold the league record for most 200-plus chases (seven). • Axar Patel is one wicket away from 100 IPL scalps. What to expect Expect an aggressive PowerPlay from Delhi to exploit the fresh pitch before it slows. Anything under 185 may feel light against Punjab’s deep batting, but early wickets could expose PBKS’s relatively inexperienced lower middle order. With playoff implications and the Shreyas-Ponting reunion narrative adding spice, the capital is set for an afternoon thriller that could redefine both teams’ campaigns.