Royal Challengers Bengaluru delivered a brutal all-round performance to crush Delhi Capitals by 9 wickets in New Delhi on Monday, after DC collapsed to a historic low of 75 all out. Virat Kohli then made IPL history by becoming the first batter to reach 9,000 runs in the tournament, adding a personal milestone to RCB’s dominant victory.
RCB celebrate a crushing win over Delhi Capitals after bundling the home side out for 75 and chasing the target in just 6.3 overs.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced one of the most one-sided wins of IPL 2026, hammering Delhi Capitals by 9 wickets in New Delhi after dismissing them for just 75 in 16.4 overs. The match turned into a nightmare for DC almost immediately, as RCB pacers Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar ripped through the top order and left the home side with their lowest-ever powerplay score in IPL history, 13/6.
The chase was never in doubt once RCB started batting. Virat Kohli then completed a landmark moment in IPL history by becoming the first player to score 9,000 IPL runs, while Devdutt Padikkal and Jacob Bethell ensured the target was wiped out in only 6.3 overs. It was a night where one team looked clinical and the other looked completely overwhelmed.
How The Match Was Won
The real damage was done in the first six overs, when RCB attacked with discipline and accuracy. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood bowled like they were defending a much bigger total, not a modest one, and DC had no answer to the new-ball pressure. NDTV Sports has covered the full story.
Sahil Parakh was bowled for a duck, KL Rahul fell for one, Sameer Rizvi was dismissed first ball, and the collapse only got worse from there. Hazlewood even threatened a hat-trick, while Bhuvneshwar kept striking at the other end, removing key batters and making sure the innings never settled. By the end of the powerplay, DC were 13/6, a number that tells its own story.
Why DC Collapsed So Hard
Delhi Capitals’ collapse was not just about poor shot selection; it was also about relentless pressure from RCB’s seamers. The pitch, the movement through the air, and the accuracy of the bowlers all combined to create a situation where every mistake was punished.
When a side loses so many wickets so early, the middle order is forced into survival mode. That is exactly what happened here. Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, and the rest of the batting lineup could not rebuild fast enough, and the innings gradually disintegrated. DC had no partnerships, no momentum, and no real plan to absorb the pressure.
RCB’s Bowling Masterclass
Hazlewood finished with four wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up three. That kind of new-ball strike rate is what makes top teams dangerous in the IPL because it leaves the opposition no room to breathe.
Their performance also showed something deeper: RCB are not relying only on batting fireworks anymore. They are winning because their attack is doing the hard work early, creating low totals that their batters can chase without stress. In T20 cricket, that is a huge advantage.
Kohli’s Historic Record
The biggest individual milestone of the night belonged to Virat Kohli. By crossing 9,000 IPL runs, he became the first batter in the league’s history to reach that figure. That is a massive achievement in a tournament that has featured some of the best players in the world for nearly two decades.
Kohli did not need a century or even a fifty to make the headlines. His unbeaten 23 off 15 was enough because the chase was so short, and because the record itself carried enormous significance. The fact that he is nearly 2,000 runs ahead of the next-best scorer underlines just how exceptional his IPL career has been.
The Chase Was A Formality
RCB’s reply lasted just 6.3 overs, which tells you how completely they controlled the evening. Jacob Bethell gave them a quick start with 20 off 11, hitting consecutive sixes before falling to T Natarajan, but the result was already beyond doubt.
Devdutt Padikkal then played a whirlwind 34 off 13, giving the innings the speed it needed to finish quickly and put the match to bed. Kohli’s two sixes at the end sealed the win in style and added a fitting exclamation point to an already dominant performance. Also Read: Rinku Singh Stars as Kolkata Knight Riders Win Super Over Thriller Against Lucknow Super Giants
Background And Context
This result will sting for Delhi Capitals because home conditions are usually supposed to help a side build confidence, not collapse so badly. A total of 75 is the sort of score that instantly exposes structural issues in the batting order, selection, and tempo control.
For RCB, though, this was the kind of complete game that title contenders love. They bowled with intent, fielded with energy, and batted with no pressure at all. Over the course of a season, victories like this matter because they improve net run rate, strengthen the points table position, and send a message to the rest of the league.
Timeline
RCB won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar struck early and broke DC’s top order.
DC were 13/6 at the end of the powerplay, their lowest ever IPL powerplay score.
Delhi Capitals were all out for 75 in 16.4 overs.
Kohli crossed 9,000 IPL runs during the chase.
RCB chased 76 in just 6.3 overs to win by 9 wickets.
Why This Matters
This matters because it was not just a win, it was a statement. A team that can destroy an opponent in both bowling and batting phases builds real momentum, and RCB will take a lot of confidence from such a clean performance.
It also matters for Delhi Capitals because repeated batting collapses at home can quickly hurt both morale and playoff chances. In the IPL, one heavy defeat can become a talking point for days, especially when it comes with a historic low.
India Angle
For Indian cricket fans, this match had two major attractions: RCB’s dominant win and Virat Kohli’s historic milestone. Kohli remains one of the most followed sporting figures in the country, so any record tied to his name naturally becomes a big national talking point.
From an Indian audience perspective, the game also reinforces how fast IPL momentum can shift. One side can look like a title contender one week and a breakdown in progress the next. Yeh cricket ka nature hai — ruthless, fast, and completely unforgiving.
Analysis
My take is that RCB’s biggest improvement this season is balance. They did not need Kohli to rescue them with the bat because their bowlers had already destroyed the game. That is usually the sign of a stronger, more mature side. Delhi, meanwhile, need to work on handling early movement and avoiding panic once wickets begin to fall.
What Next
RCB will now look to carry this confidence into their next fixtures, especially because their top-two position gets even stronger with such an emphatic win. If their bowlers keep striking like this, they become a much more dangerous team in knockout-style situations.
Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, will have to respond quickly and repair their batting approach. They need better starts, more composure in the powerplay, and sharper match awareness if they want to avoid another collapse of this kind.
Conclusion
Royal Challengers Bengaluru did far more than beat Delhi Capitals — they overwhelmed them. From Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar’s destructive new-ball spell to Kohli’s historic 9,000-run milestone, this was one of the most complete performances of IPL 2026 so far.
For DC, the defeat will be remembered for all the wrong reasons: a historic powerplay collapse, a total of 75, and no real fightback. For RCB, it was a clean, emphatic, and highly memorable night that sent a strong message to the rest of the league.
Written By A. Jack
