IPL 2026: KL Rahul Falls Cheap Again, Deepak Chahar Ends Unique IPL Streak

IPL 2026: KL Rahul's tough start to IPL 2026 continued as the Delhi Capitals batter fell cheaply once again, this time managing just one run against the Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

After being dismissed for a golden duck in the season opener, Rahul's struggles persisted as he edged a delivery from Deepak Chahar behind on just the third ball he faced. His early departure came as a major setback for Delhi in their chase of 163 on a tricky, two-paced surface.

The dismissal also marked a significant statistical shift. Rahul, who had dominated Chahar in previous IPL encounters, saw his remarkable record come to an end. Before this game, he had amassed 159 runs off 100 balls against the MI pacer-the highest runs scored by a batter against a bowler in IPL history. That streak was finally broken with Chahar claiming his first-ever wicket of Rahul in the tournament.

Earlier in the match, Mumbai Indians posted a competitive 162/6 after being put in to bat. Stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav led from the front with a composed 51 off 36 deliveries, while Rohit Sharma contributed 35. Late cameos from Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, and Corbin Bosch helped MI finish strongly.

Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel opted to bowl first after winning the toss, citing uncertainty over pitch behavior. On the other side, Suryakumar stepped in as captain with regular skipper Hardik Pandya unavailable due to illness, as Mumbai looked to secure their second win of the season.