Starc's Capitals suffer first defeat, Kohli leads RCB chase

Mitch Starc's Delhi Capitals have suffered their first defeat of the new Indian Premier League season after Mumbai Indians eked out a 12-run victory to rekindle their fading hopes of making the playoffs.

Karun Nair led Delhi's pursuit of 206 on Sunday night with a scintillating 89 but once he departed, the wheels came off their innings and the Capitals were all out for 193 – losing their last three wickets to a hat-trick of run-outs in a bizarre finish.

Delhi, who had won four matches in a row, are now behind table-toppers Gujarat Titans on net run-rate, though the Capitals have played one match fewer.

Five-time champions Mumbai climbed to seventh place after their second win in six matches.

Earlier, former captain Rohit Sharma's lean run continued but Tilak Varma's breezy half-century provided the bedrock of Mumbai's strong 5-205 after being put into bat at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Mumbai lost Rohit (18) in the Powerplay but Ryan Rickelton (41) and Suryakumar Yadav (40) ensured they did not completely surrender the momentum.

Delhi spinner Kuldeep Yadav removed both the batters but Varma smashed 59 off 33 balls, three of which went soaring over the boundary rope, before falling in the final over of their innings.

Naman Dhir made a quickfire 38 not out as Mumbai posted their second 200-plus total this season. Starc (0-43) was wicketless in his three overs.

Delhi lost Aussie opener Jake Fraser-McGurk on the first ball of their chase but Nair, brought in as the Impact Player, tore into the Mumbai attack during his 119-run second wicket stand with Abishek Porel (33).

Leg-spinner Karn Sharma's three wickets dragged Mumbai back into the contest and Mitchell Santner claimed two to turn the match on its head.

Delhi needed 23 from the last two overs with three wickets in hand but Ashutosh Sharma, Kuldeep and Mohit Sharma were run out from the last three balls of the penultimate over from Jasprit Bumrah.

Earlier in Jaipur, Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Rajasthan Royals by nine wickets to climb to third place following their fourth win in six matches.

Virat Kohli led RCB's chase of the Royals' 4-173 with 62 not out, sharing a 92-run opening stand with Englishman Phil Salt (65) and an unbroken 83-run first wicket partnership with Devdutt Padikkal (40no).

Bengaluru's Australian quick Josh Hazlewood (1-26) claimed the wicket of Royals top scorer Yashasvi Jaiswal (75 off 47 balls) lbw as Rajasthan posted 4-173 after being sent in.

Australians at IPL 2025

Chennai Super Kings: Nathan Ellis ($365k)

Delhi Capitals: Mitch Starc ($2.15m), Jake Fraser-McGurk ($1.65m)

Kolkata Knight Riders: Spencer Johnson ($510k)

Lucknow Super Giants: Justin Langer (coach), Mitch Marsh ($623k)

Punjab Kings: Ricky Ponting (coach), Marcus Stoinis ($2m), Glenn Maxwell ($770k), Josh Inglis ($475k), Aaron Hardie ($228k), Xavier Bartlett ($146k)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood ($2.29m), Tim David ($547k)

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins ($3.7m), Travis Head ($1.2m), Adam Zampa ($440k)

2025 IPL standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Royal Challengers Bengaluru Men RCB	10	7	3	0	0	0.521	0	14
2 Gujarat Titans GUT	8	6	2	0	0	1.104	0	12
3 Mumbai Indians MI	10	6	4	0	0	0.889	0	12
4 Delhi Capitals Men DEL	9	6	3	0	0	0.482	0	12
5 Punjab Kings KXI	9	5	3	0	1	0.177	0	11
6 Lucknow Super Giants LSG	10	5	5	0	0	-0.325	0	10
7 Kolkata Knight Riders KKR	9	3	5	0	1	0.212	0	7
8 Sunrisers Hyderabad SUN	9	3	6	0	0	-1.103	0	6
9 Rajasthan Royals RAJ	9	2	7	0	0	-0.625	0	4
10 Chennai Super Kings CSK	9	2	7	0	0	-1.302	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points