New Delhi: A red-hot KL Rahul produced one of the most extraordinary innings in Indian Premier League history, hammering an unbeaten 152 to power Delhi Capitals to a massive 264 for 2 against Punjab Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on a scorching Saturday.
On a sweltering 41-degree afternoon, Rahul tore into the PBKS bowling attack, smashing 16 fours and nine sixes in his 67-ball masterclass at a staggering strike rate of 226. His knock is now the highest individual score by an Indian batter in IPL history, surpassing several elite names, and also ranks as the third-highest overall in the tournament, behind Chris Gayle's 175 not out and Brendon McCullum's 158 not out.
Rahul became only the third batter in IPL history to breach the 150-run mark, and just the second Indian after Tilak Varma to score 150-plus in men's T20s. The innings also marked his fastest IPL century, coming in just 47 balls, bettering his previous best of 56 deliveries.
He was brilliantly supported by Nitish Rana, who blasted 91, as the duo stitched a stunning 220-run stand off just 95 balls, now the second-highest partnership in IPL history. Their assault powered DC to their highest-ever total, with a staggering 162 runs coming in overs 11 to 20, one of the most explosive death-over performances seen in the league.
Rahul also rewrote franchise records, going past Rishabh Pant's 128 not out to register the highest individual score for Delhi Capitals. In another remarkable feat, he became the first player in IPL history to score multiple centuries for three different teams: DC, PBKS, and Lucknow Super Giants.
Among all IPL batters with over 1,000 runs, Rahul's consistency remains elite, with an average of 46.88, second only to Sai Sudharsan.
Highest individual scores by an Indian in men's T20s
- 152 not out - KL Rahul vs PBKS, Delhi, 2026
- 151 - Tilak Varma vs Meghalaya, Rajkot, 2024
- 148 - Abhishek Sharma vs Bengal, Secunderabad, 2025
- 147 - Shreyas Iyer vs Sikkim, Indore, 2019
- 146 not out - Punit Bisht vs Mizoram, Chennai, 2021
Most runs in the IPL
- 8,989 - Virat Kohli
- 7,183 - Rohit Sharma
- 6,769 - Shikhar Dhawan
- 6,565 - David Warner
- 5,579 - KL Rahul
- 5,528 - Suresh Raina
- 5,439 - MS Dhoni
Of the 109 batters with 1,000-plus IPL runs, only Sai Sudharsan has a higher average (47.16) than Rahul's 46.88.
Most runs in overs 11-20 in an IPL innings
- 172 for 2 - RCB vs GL, Bengaluru, 2016
- 162 for 2 - PBKS vs CSK, Cuttack, 2014
- 162 for 1 - DC vs PBKS, Delhi, 2026
Highest individual scores in the IPL
- 175 not out - Chris Gayle (RCB) vs PWI, Bengaluru, 2013
- 158 not out - Brendon McCullum (KKR) vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2008
- 152 not out - KL Rahul (DC) vs PBKS, Delhi, 2026
- 141 - Abhishek Sharma (SRH) vs PBKS, Hyderabad, 2025
- 140 not out - Quinton de Kock (KKR) vs LSG, Mumbai DYP, 2022
Rahul is the second Indian to register a 150-plus score in men's T20 cricket, after Tilak Varma, who scored 151 for Hyderabad against Meghalaya in Rajkot in 2024-25.
Highest partnerships in the IPL (any wicket)
- 229 - AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli vs GL, Bengaluru, 2016
- 220 - KL Rahul and Nitish Rana vs PBKS, Delhi, 2026
- 215 not out - AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli vs MI, Mumbai WS, 2015
- 210 not out - KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock vs KKR, Mumbai DYP, 2022
- 210 - Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill vs CSK, Ahmedabad, 2024
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