IPL 2026: DC eyes victory on home turf against formidable MI in high-stakes clash

NEW DELHI: When Delhi Capitals take on Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday afternoon, it will be more than just another league game in IPL 2026. The first game of the tournament's opening double-header is a high-stakes contest between a side seeking winning consistency at home and a five-time champion side who have historically thrived in New Delhi.

Since 2022, MI have won five of seven encounters between the two sides, including both meetings last season. Even at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, MI have prevailed in three of the last four games against DC.

With the Met Department issuing a yellow alert for Saturday, Axar Patel's men – provided the rain stays away - will need to script something different to begin their home leg on a high.

DC managed just one home win here in five attempts last season, and the urgency to change that begins now. DC's fortunes with the bat will hinge significantly on KL Rahul, who bagged a golden duck against Lucknow Super Giants.

Against MI, however, Rahul has been in a class of his own - averaging 69.7 across 20 innings with six half-centuries and three hundreds.