KL Rahul delivered one of the greatest knocks in IPL history on a memorable afternoon at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, becoming the first Indian batter to score 150 in a single innings.
Opening the batting, the Delhi Capitals star hammered an unbeaten 152 off just 67 balls, powering his side to a massive 264/2 against Punjab Kings, the highest total of the IPL 2026 season so far.
Rahul joins elite list
Scores of 150-plus have been a rarity in IPL history. Before Rahul’s effort, only two batters had reached the mark- Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum.
With this innings, Rahul now joins that exclusive club, becoming only the third player overall and the first Indian to get there.
A knock built on control and power
Opening the innings, Rahul looked in complete control from the start. He combined crisp timing with clean hitting, finishing with 16 fours and 9 sixes at a strike rate above 220.
He did have an early scare, though, after being dropped on 18 by Shashank Singh, a moment Punjab Kings would go on to regret.
Rahul made full use of that chance, putting together a commanding 220-run stand for the second wicket with Nitish Rana, who contributed a fluent 91 off 44 balls. The partnership is now among the highest in IPL history.
Record for an Indian batter
Rahul’s 152* is now the highest individual score by an Indian in the IPL, going past the previous record of 141 set by Abhishek Sharma last season.
It also underlines his ability to shift gears, from anchoring innings to completely dominating attacks when needed.
Punjab Kings under pressure
Delhi Capitals dominated from the outset, with Punjab’s bowlers struggling to find answers. Xavier Bartlett conceded heavily in his spell, while Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen were also taken apart.
Chasing 265, Punjab Kings were left with a daunting task, needing to score at over 13 runs per over.
Whatever the result, the match will be remembered for Rahul’s innings, a knock that pushes the boundaries of what an Indian batter has achieved in the IPL.