In a scintillating display of batting prowess, Delhi Capitals’ opener KL Rahul etched his name deeper into Indian Premier League (IPL) folklore after he slammed a blistering century off just 47 balls against his former franchise, Punjab Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The 34-year-old Rahul put on a masterclass of T20 batting. His unbeaten knock propelled DC to a massive total of 264/2 in 20 overs, leaving the PBKS bowlers with no answers.
During his blistering century, Rahul became the first player in IPL history to score multiple centuries for three different franchises – Punjab Kings (PBKS), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and now Delhi Capitals (DC).
A Milestone Knock In A High-Stakes Clash
KL Rahul, who open the innings once again, walked out with intent and delivered a masterclass. His innings, laced with 16 boundaries and 9 sixes, was a blend of elegant drives, powerful pulls, and calculated aggression.
This was his sixth IPL century overall, placing him alongside elite company – only Virat Kohli (8), Jos Buttler (7) have more.
Most IPL Hundreds
8 – Virat Kohli
7 – Jos Buttler
6 – Chris Gayle
6 – KL Rahul
5 – Sanju Samson
The knock not only boosted DC’s playoff hopes in a high-stakes encounter but also highlighted Rahul’s adaptability.
Now in his first season with the Delhi Capitals after stints with Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) and Lucknow Super Giants, he continues to prove his worth as one of the league’s most consistent batters.
Centuries Across Three Franchises: A Rare Feat
KL Rahul’s achievement is unique in IPL history. No other player had previously achieved centuries for three separate IPL teams.
Here’s the break down of Rahul’s centuries for each team:
For Punjab Kings (2 centuries)
100* (64 balls) vs Mumbai Indians, 2019 (Wankhede Stadium)
132* (69 balls) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 2020 (Dubai) – One of the highest scores by an Indian in IPL at the time.
For Lucknow Super Giants (2 centuries)
103* (60 balls) vs Mumbai Indians, 2022 (Brabourne Stadium)
103* (62 balls) vs Mumbai Indians, 2022 (Wankhede Stadium)
For Delhi Capitals (2 centuries)
112* (65 balls) vs Gujarat Titans, 2025 (Arun Jaitley Stadium)
152 (67 balls) vs Punjab Kings, 2026 (Arun Jaitley Stadium)
The 2026 season has seen a ‘KL Rahul 2.0.” Long criticized for his strike rate in previous years, the DC skipper has flipped the narrative this season.
Lineup For DC vs PBKS IPL 2026 Match
Delhi Capitals Playing XI: KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (captain), Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, and Mukesh Kumar
Punjab Kings Playing XI: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal
DC Impact Substitutes: Vipraj Nigam, Karun Nair, Dushmantha Chameera, Ashutosh Sharma, and Auqib Nabi Dar
PBKS Impact Substitutes: Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, and Vishnu Vinod
