Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals Prediction & Match Preview – IPL 2026 43rd Match
Match summary
Our preview of Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals, IPL 2026 43rd match in Jaipur: team form, key players, likely XIs, pitch, weather and expected scores.
Match details
| Match | Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals, 43rd Match |
|---|---|
| Series | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Date | 1 May 2026 |
| Start time | 2:00 pm GMT / 7:30 pm local |
| Venue | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Delhi Capitals |
| Toss pick | Rajasthan Royals |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Rajasthan Royals host Delhi Capitals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur in the 43rd match of IPL 2026 on Friday, 1 May. Riyan Parag’s side are in confident mood with the bat after a six-wicket win over Punjab Kings in which they chased a huge target of 223. Their bowling, however, has been an issue, and Parag will want a better display to strengthen their standing in the table.
At the top, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been in explosive form and will open with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Dhruv Jurel, Parag and Donovan Ferreira, who made 52 in the last game, give the middle order stability and power, with Shubham Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja and Dasun Shanaka adding balance. Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger will have the new ball against a DC top order that has been out of form, with Jadeja and Ravi Bishnoi expected to control the middle overs.
Delhi Capitals, led by Axar Patel, are coming off a heavy defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where they were bowled out for 75 and lost by nine wickets. They are seventh and need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. KL Rahul is key at the top alongside Sahil Parakh, Nitish Rana has shown promise in the middle order, and Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs will be expected to build partnerships, with Axar, David Miller and Abishek Porel needed lower down.
Delhi’s bowling has not been effective this season. Dushmantha Chameera and Kyle Jamieson need early wickets, while Axar and T Natarajan must hold things tight in the middle overs, with Kuldeep Yadav also important. Our preview gives Delhi a slight edge to bounce back, but Rajasthan’s batting depth makes this a close call.
The Sawai Mansingh Stadium pitch is generally balanced but leans slightly towards batters in T20s, with good bounce and carry early that lets stroke-makers play freely in the powerplay. Scores of 170–190 have been common in recent games. As the match goes on the surface can slow and turn two-paced, bringing spinners and bowlers with cutters into play. Teams often prefer to chase here.
On 1 May at 7:30 pm local time, Jaipur is expected to be hot and dry but more comfortable than during the day, with temperatures of around 30–33°C, falling through the evening. Skies should be mostly clear with very little chance of rain, so a full game is expected. A mild dew factor could emerge late and help the side batting second.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 170–185 | – |
| Second innings | 165–180 | – |
Delhi Capitals
Our preview leans to Delhi to bounce back, though Rajasthan’s batting form after a 223-run chase makes this a close contest.
Toss pick: Rajasthan Royals
FAQ
What is the situation for Delhi Capitals going into this game?
Delhi lost heavily to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, being bowled out for 75 and losing by nine wickets. That left them seventh, so this is close to a must-win match.
How did Rajasthan Royals do in their last game?
They beat Punjab Kings by six wickets while chasing 223, with Donovan Ferreira scoring 52. Their bowling remains a concern.
What is a competitive total in Jaipur?
A score of around 175–180 is competitive on this ground, and a strong powerplay is important because run rates often dip after the first 10 overs.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Rajasthan Royals
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Dhruv Jurelwk
- Riyan Paragc
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Donovan Ferreira
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Jofra Archer
- Tushar Deshpande
- Nandre Burger
- Brijesh Sharma
Delhi Capitals
- Sahil Parakh
- KL Rahulwk
- Nitish Rana
- Sameer Rizvi
- Tristan Stubbs
- David Miller
- Axar Patelc
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Kyle Jamieson
- Kuldeep Yadav
- T Natarajan