The Indian Premier League 2026 moves to the capital for Match 35 as Delhi Capitals (DC) host Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 25 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium (formerly Feroz Shah Kotla).
This fixture promises a high-octane battle between DC's explosive batting firepower at home and PBKS's aggressive, all-round approach. On a venue known for batting-friendly surfaces and short boundaries, fans can expect fluent strokeplay, plenty of sixes, and a contest that often rewards big-hitting in the middle overs and death.
DC enter this home game in the bottom half of the table. With a strong performance in front of the Delhi crowd, the Capitals will have a chance to move upwards. They lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the previous clash away.
PBKS, sitting at the top of the pile, will be eager to keep their unbeaten run going. From 6 games, they own 5 wins (NR: 1) and have 11 points in the bag. Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS are the side to beat, and DC would want to believe they can stop the former at their own backyard.
DC aren't expected to tinker with their playing XI similarly. PBKS aren't going to make any change with their XI as a winning formula has been decoded this season.
Head-to-Head Record Between DC and PBKS
The two teams have faced each other in a closely contested rivalry. Across their previous IPL meetings, the head-to-head is nearly even at 17-17 from 34 encounters. At the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the H2H record between the two teams is even at 6-6 from 12 meetings. So there is nothing much to separate the two teams.
Probable XI of Both Teams
DC Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel (c), Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar. Impact Player: T Natarajan.
PBKS Probable XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal. Impact Player: Vijaykumar Vyshak.
Arun Jaitley Stadium: Venue Insights
Established in 1883 and renamed in 2019, the Arun Jaitley Stadium is one of India's iconic venues with a rich history. It features relatively short boundaries (square boundaries around 65 meters, straight boundaries around 68 meters) and a fast outfield, making it conducive to high-scoring T20 cricket. The Capitals have played a total of 89 IPL games here since 2008.
What is the Pitch Like at the Arun Jaitley Stadium?
The Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch remains largely batting-friendly. The surface is flat and provides consistent bounce, allowing batters to play their shots with confidence, especially in the powerplay. In recent IPL matches here, scores have regularly crossed 170-190, with several 200+ totals possible when batters get going. The black-soil pitch generally offers good bounce and pace early on, with the ball coming nicely onto the bat.
Pacers can find some assistance with seam and swing in the initial overs, while spinners get grip and turn as the pitch wears or in the second half of the day game. The outfield is quick, and short boundaries reward clean striking. Expect teams to target big scores, but bowlers who vary their pace and use the slower variations effectively can succeed, particularly in the middle overs.
Players will be tested in extreme afternoon and early evening conditions with the match starting at 3:30 pm.
Key Stats & Records at the Arun Jaitley Stadium
The record for the highest team total stands at 278/3 by SRH (against KKR in 2025). Other notable high scores include 266/7 by SRH and 257/4 by DC.
The lowest team total is 66 all out by Delhi Capitals (then Daredevils) against Mumbai Indians in 2017.
On the batting front, players like David Warner (1048) and Rishabh Pant (978) have dominated with high aggregates at the venue.
In bowling, Amit Mishra holds the record for most wickets at the ground (58), with spinners often proving effective due to the grip on offer. Pacers like Umesh Yadav have also made their mark with bounce and variations. He picked 31 wickets here.
DC vs PBKS: Weather Forecast
Delhi's late April weather is typically hot and dry during the day. Temperatures for this afternoon match are expected to hover between 35°C and 42°C (or higher, with heatwave conditions possible), with low humidity. There is a minimal chance of rain, ensuring a full contest.
DC vs PBKS: Pitch Advantage for Which Side?
The Arun Jaitley surface generally offers a balanced contest but leans slightly toward batters, especially with the short boundaries. The team winning the toss may prefer to bat first and set a challenging total (around 180-200 being par), as the pitch can slow down later and assist spinners. Without significant dew in this daytime game, defending a score is more feasible than at pure chasing venues. DC's home advantage and familiarity with the conditions could give them a slight edge, but PBKS's batting depth makes them dangerous on any good wicket.
FAQs - Pitch Report for Arun Jaitley Stadium
What is the par-score at this venue?
For the 2026 season, a par score is roughly 170-190. Anything above 200 is a strong total, while scores below 160 are often chaseable.
Who are the team captains?
The leadership for this match features the respective skippers for DC and PBKS in Axar Patel and Shreyas Iyer.
What is the summary of bowling conditions?
The pitch is predominantly good for batting, but pacers get early bounce and movement, while spinners can extract turn and grip as the game progresses. Bowlers need variations in pace and clever lines to restrict batters on this ground, where mishits can still travel for boundaries. This promises to be another entertaining high-scoring affair typical of IPL cricket at Kotla!