Delhi's Nightmare in Delhi: How RCB Bowled DC Out for IPL's Worst Ever Powerplay Score

The Delhi Capitals walked into the Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 27, 2026, hoping to build on their 264-run total from two nights earlier. Instead, they walked into a nightmare.

Batting first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi lost six wickets for just 13 runs in the first six overs. Khelstake officially recorded this as the lowest powerplay score in IPL history.

The previous record holder was Rajasthan Royals. They managed 14 for 2 against RCB in Cape Town back in 2009. Delhi broke that record in the worst possible way.

RCB's Bowlers Did Not Spare Anyone

RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to field first. The pitch looked normal. There was no swing, no seam, no uneven bounce.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar made the first breakthrough on the second ball of the match. He fired a yorker that crashed into debutant Sahil Parakh's middle stump. Parakh was out for zero.

Josh Hazlewood then removed KL Rahul for 1 run. Rahul had scored an unbeaten 152 in Delhi's last game. This time he top edged a pull shot straight to the wicketkeeper.

On the next ball, Hazlewood trapped Sameer Rizvi lbw. Rizvi played down the wrong line and was struck in front. He was out for a golden duck.

Tristan Stubbs tried to counterattack. He lasted only three balls and scored 5 runs before edging Bhuvneshwar to the slips.

Three deliveries later, Bhuvneshwar found Axar Patel's outside edge. The ball moved late, took the bat, and landed safely in the slip cordon. Delhi was 7 for 5 after just 2.4 overs.

Hazlewood then bounced out Nitish Rana. Rana tried to avoid the short ball but left his bat hanging in the air. The ball popped to Devdutt Padikkal at wide slip.

At 8 for 6 in the fourth over, Delhi was threatening to break RCB's own record of 49 all out, the lowest team total in IPL history.

The Rescue Act That Changed Nothing

Abhishek Porel played responsibly. He scored 30 runs from 33 balls. David Miller added 19 from 18 deliveries. The pair pushed Delhi to 75 all out.

But the match was already decided. No team in IPL history has ever recovered from 8 for 6.

RCB needed only 6.3 overs to chase down the target. They lost just one wicket and won by 9 wickets.

What the Cricket World Said

Former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan was blunt. He said there were no demons in the pitch. He said Delhi was simply not good enough on the night.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar looked surprised himself. "Even I am surprised the way wicket played," he told the broadcaster. "All credit goes to our bowlers."

Shaun Pollock went a step further. He suggested that Delhi's season might be over. Three heavy losses in quick succession can break any team's confidence.

What This Loss Does to Delhi

Delhi has now suffered three crushing defeats this season.

A 1-run loss to Gujarat Titans.

A defeat after scoring 264 against Punjab Kings.

And now this 75 all out against RCB.

Captain Axar Patel smiled during his post match interview. That smile confused many viewers.

"We did not play the match today," he said. "We have to accept it that way and move on."

Keeping the dressing room calm is important for any captain. But the lack of visible concern after a historic low worried fans and experts alike.

The net run rate also took a massive hit. Delhi was already struggling in that area. This defeat made their playoff chances even slimmer.

The Record That Now Belongs to Delhi

Delhi's 13 for 6 is the lowest powerplay score in IPL history.

The previous lowest was 14 for 2 by Rajasthan Royals against RCB on April 18, 2009.

Sunrisers Hyderabad also scored 14 for 3 against Rajasthan Royals in 2022.

Delhi's collapse now sits alone at the bottom of the list.

This was also Delhi's third lowest total in IPL history. Their lowest remains 66 all out against Mumbai Indians in 2017.

What Happens Next

For Delhi, the road ahead is very difficult. They need to regroup quickly. They must find a way to handle pressure situations. The captain and coach have serious questions to answer.

For RCB, this victory strengthened their hold on second place. It also gave their net run rate a significant boost. They are looking like genuine title contenders.

The IPL 2026 season is far from finished. But Delhi Capitals have a great deal of soul searching to do. One more collapse like this, and their playoff hopes will be completely over.