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BENGALURU: KL Rahul smashed an unbeaten 93 as Delhi Capitals beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets to maintain their winning streak in the Indian Premier League on Thursday.
Rahul, 32, hit six sixes and seven fours in his scintillating 53-ball knock to help Delhi overhaul Bengaluru’s 163-7 with 13 balls to spare at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Tristan Stubbs chipped in with 38 not out and shared 111 runs with Rahul off just 56 balls to steer Delhi to their fourth consecutive win.
Delhi now sit second in the table while Bengaluru are third in the 10-team competition.
Bengaluru bowlers picked some early wickets but ran into the in-form Rahul who batted with composure and ease.
Delhi had a wobbly start, losing openers Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk cheaply with just 10 runs on the board.
Captain Axar Patel tried to steady the innings but holed out to Tim David off impact sub Suyash Sharma for 15.
Stubbs said the win was “really satisfying.”
“I came in a tricky situation, but the run-rate never got out of hand,” he said.
“I did not need to do much — KL played the way he did.”
Earlier, Bengaluru were off to a flier, with openers Virat Kohli and Phil Salt taking the attack to the opposition.
The duo smashed 30 runs in the third over off Mitchell Starc before guiding Bengaluru to the fastest team 50 of the season.
The batting assault ended when Salt (37) was run-out after a mix-up and Kohli (22) lobbed a catch to Starc who dived forward to take a fine catch at long-off.
Salt hit three sixes and four fours in his 17-ball knock.
Bengaluru lost regular wickets after the twin setbacks, with Delhi left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav picking two, including the scalp of captain Rajat Patidar for 25.
David provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 20-ball 37, studded with four sixes and two fours.
Patidar conceded his team did not bat well despite showing “nice intent.”
“We were lacking in assessing the conditions and the situation. (But) the way David accelerated at the end, it was really amazing,” he said.

RIYADH: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the crown prince of Dubai, deputy prime minister and defense minister, met with Jay Shah, chairman of the International Cricket Council, during his first official visit to India.

He also met with Indian cricket stars Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav during the Dubai-India Business Forum, the Government of Dubai Media office said on X.

The meeting with Shah was an opportunity to reaffirm the UAE’s commitment to advancing global sport through meaningful international partnerships. He underlined the UAE’s growing role as an international hub for sporting events, driven by a long-term vision and advanced infrastructure.

Sheikh Hamdan also highlighted the UAE’s pride in hosting the ICC headquarters in Dubai since 2005, a reflection of the country’s strong support for international sporting organizations.

“The UAE’s infrastructure, innovation, and long-term vision make it a natural hub for international sporting excellence,” Sheikh Hamdan said, according to Emirates News Agency WAM.

While meeting the Indian players, Sheikh Hamdan congratulated them on India’s recent triumph in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which the team secured with a memorable victory at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium last month.

Commenting on the meeting and sharing a video on X, the ICC chairman wrote: “Delighted to help connect cricket with visionary leadership in Mumbai where it was a true honor to meet His Highness @HamdanMohammed with @ImRo45, @hardikpandya7, and @surya_14kumar. These moments typify the uniting influence of cricket worldwide.”

The Indian players shared their experiences of playing in the tournament and of competing in tournaments in the UAE over the years. They praised the world-class facilities, excellent organization and vibrant sporting atmosphere.

Sheikh Hamdan noted the growing popularity of cricket in the UAE, supported by the Emirates Cricket Board under the leadership of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan.

He reiterated the UAE’s commitment to nurturing cricket and providing an environment in which the sport could flourish.