In IPL 2025, the most anticipated clash awaits fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday evening. The in-form Delhi Capitals (DC) take on a resurgent Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 46th match. However, both teams are eyeing the top spot on the points table.
DC, under the leadership of Axar Patel, have witnessed a great season so far. The team is sitting second on the table with 12 points from 8 games, The 2020 finalists come into this game on the back of a dominant eight-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Consistency has been the hallmark of their campaign, with both the bat and ball firing in tandem.
Meanwhile, RCB, led by Rajat Patidar, are riding high after back-to-back wins against Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Also tied at 12 points, but with one more game played, Bengaluru have found their rhythm at the right time. The batting continues to revolve around the evergreen Virat Kohli, while their pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood has been exceptional, sitting atop the wicket-takers’ chart with 16 wickets.
The reverse fixture earlier this season saw DC fall short against LSG, thanks to a KL Rahul masterclass. That result adds excitement to this matchup, with Kohli eager to settle scores on his home turf and take RCB closer to a top-two finish.
Close and tough competition
RCB has a stronger head-to-head record, after winning 19 of 32 encounters, including six victories in ten matches at this venue. However, Delhi’s recent form and familiarity with conditions could even the scales.
The pitch at Arun Jaitley Stadium has favoured spinners so far this season, though batters have enjoyed the initial overs during the powerplay. With 35°C temperatures and dew expected in the second half, the toss could play a crucial role.
Team News & Expected XIs
DC fans will be buoyed by the news that Faf du Plessis is fit to play after a scare in the previous game. There are no new injury concerns for RCB, who will go into the match with a settled XI.
Delhi Capitals (Predicted XI): Abishek Porel, Faf du Plessis, Karun Nair, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Dushmantha Chameera
Impact Sub: Mukesh Kumar
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Predicted XI): Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal
Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma