IPL 2026: 13/6 – The Worst Powerplay Score in History and What It Means for Delhi Capitals

April 27, 2026, turned sour fast under the stadium lights. That evening at Arun Jaitley Stadium did not go well for Delhi Capitals. A rough patch unfolded, one they likely wish to erase.
Chasing runs after Royal Challengers Bengaluru batted, they slipped to 13 for 6 during the opening overs.
That total marked the weakest powerplay ever seen across a complete IPL game, per Khelstake breakdown. A milestone once set long before has now been overtaken after nearly two decades.
That old mark stood at 14 for 2, set by Rajasthan Royals versus RCB in Cape Town during 2009.
This sudden fall apart hits hard - especially when you remember they put up 264 at home only forty-eight hours before.

How the Collapse Unfolded

Out came RCB’s skipper Rajat Patidar, who flipped the coin and got his pick - fielding before batting. Not a single odd mark showed up across the surface.
Bowling shone bright while the batsmen struggled badly after that.

Barely two balls in, Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck hard. A sharp inswinger found its mark - Sahil Parakh, playing his first match, stood stunned. That delivery hammered straight into the middle stump.
Ball one from Josh Hazlewood at the other end found its mark. Out went KL Rahul, dismissed for a solitary run.

A hundred and fifty two not out - that’s what Rahul made last game in Delhi. This round though, the pull shot didn’t go his way; it ballooned off the edge straight into the keeper’s gloves.
Barely a breath later, Hazlewood had Sameer Rizvi caught plumb by the wicketkeeper. That fuller length did the trick - outside edge, straight into gloves.

Fear dragged on. Out went Tristan Stubbs, caught off Bhuvneshwar’s delivery - just 5 runs from 3 balls - finding the slip cordon.

A ball after that, Bhuvneshwar got another wicket. Outside edge off Axar Patel’s bat, thanks to sharp seam turn at the end. One more delivery passed by before the next breakthrough came.
Five wickets had fallen already when Delhi reached seven runs. Only two point four overs had passed by then.

Bounced out by Hazlewood, Nitish Rana watched it rise sharply. Aiming to duck, he left the shot late instead. His bat hung mid-air like a question mark. Up went the ball, soft and slow. Caught easily - Padikkal took it near the boundary edge.
Falling to 8 for 6 by the fourth over, Delhi edged close to matching RCB’s infamous mark - 49, still the weakest score ever seen in IPL play.

The Aftermath

Fifty-three runs came from Porel and Miller together. Thirty of those belonged to Porel, reached from 33 deliveries. Miller chipped in with 19 from just 18. Their stand slowed things down a bit before Delhi collapsed at 75 all out.
Yet harm had taken hold long before.
Chasing down the total took RCB only six point three overs. Victory came by nine wickets. Nine men still stood at the crease when they got there.
Now worries grow for Delhi Capitals after this sudden fall. A shaky moment like this puts pressure on their next moves. Not every team handles setbacks well, especially under bright lights. What happens next feels uncertain, that much is clear.
Not everyone agreed with how they went about it. The ball didn’t misbehave on that surface, said ex-India pacer Zaheer Khan. Just wasn’t good enough, he pointed out - speaking of Delhi’s effort.
Facing new challenges, Shaun Pollock noted how adjustments must match shifting environments. Still, success hinges on responding well when surroundings change.

What This Means for DC

Last week brought Delhi’s third serious setback in the current season.
A narrow defeat by one run against Gujarat Titans came first.
Later came a loss, even though they had posted 264 runs versus Punjab Kings.
This time, they managed just 75 runs when playing RCB.

Maybe the Capitals' run is finished, thinks Pollock.
Surprise spread through the crowd after the game ended. His grin showed up right there on camera. A quiet moment, yet everyone noticed.
He said, "We did not play the match today. We have to accept it that way and move on."
Quiet in the locker room matters. Still, the absence of alarm following a record slump troubled certain onlookers.

The Record That Was Broken

Now the worst powerplay ever in IPL belongs to Delhi Capitals’ 13 for 6.
Back then, Rajasthan Royals made just 14 for 2 versus RCB at Cape Town on April 18, 2009 - that number stood until now.
Three wickets fell early when Sunrisers Hyderabad reached just 14 versus Rajasthan Royals during the 2022 season.
Beneath every other failure, Delhi's downfall rests untouched. It simply sits there, unmatched.

What Comes Next

Hard times likely lie ahead for Delhi. Quick recovery will be key. Staying calm under stress is something they have to figure out.
This victory tightened RCB's hold on the number two spot. A sharp rise in net run rate came right after.
Still plenty of cricket left to play. Yet Delhi Capitals face tough questions they can’t ignore.