‘Curse of April 27’ returns after 15 years! Delhi Capitals script unwanted IPL history

NEW DELHI: It was a nightmare evening for Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium as the “curse of April 27” returned to haunt the IPL after 15 years. On the same date in 2011, Kochi Tuskers Kerala had slumped to 11 for 6 — and now, DC matched that ignominy in even more dramatic fashion against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday.

RCB’s pacers produced a ruthless display, reducing DC to a staggering 8 for 6 inside four overs, eventually leaving them at 13 for 6 at the end of the powerplay — the lowest-ever powerplay score in a full IPL match. The collapse also equalled the record for most wickets lost (six) inside the first six overs of an IPL innings, matching Kochi’s unwanted feat from 2011.

Most wickets lost inside (1-6 overs) in an IPL innings

• 6 - KTK vs Deccan, Kochi, 2011
• 6 - DC vs RCB, Delhi, 2026

Pacers run riot in historic collapse
The carnage began in the very first over when Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled debutant Sahil Parakh with a searing inswinging yorker for a two-ball duck. Josh Hazlewood then turned the screws, striking twice in consecutive deliveries to remove KL Rahul and Sameer Rizvi.

Bhuvneshwar returned to dismiss Tristan Stubbs and skipper Axar Patel in quick succession, while Hazlewood added Nitish Rana to the list. Within 3.5 overs, DC were staring at an unbelievable 8 for 6, their top order blown away by precision seam bowling.

Live Score: DC vs RCB, IPL 2026

Records tumble in dramatic fashion
The collapse rewrote multiple unwanted records. DC’s 13 for 6 in the powerplay is now the lowest in a completed IPL innings, surpassing Rajasthan Royals’ 14 for 2 in 2009. It also places them alongside Kochi Tuskers Kerala (2011) for the most wickets lost in the first six overs of an innings.

Other infamous entries on the list include Delhi Daredevils’ 24 for 6 (2017), RCB’s 28 for 6 (2014), and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 29 for 6 (2013), but DC’s latest meltdown stands out for its sheer scale and timing.

Lowest Powerplay (1-6 overs) totals in the IPL

• 13/6 - DC vs RCB, Delhi, 2026*
• 14/2 - RR vs RCB, Cape Town, 2009
• 14/3 - SRH vs RR, Pune, 2022
• 15/2 - CSK vs KKR, Kolkata, 2011
• 16/1 - CSK vs DD, Raipur, 2015
• 16/1 - CSK vs RCB, Chennai, 2019

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar had opted to bowl first, citing favourable chasing conditions — a decision that paid off instantly. His bowlers executed the plan to perfection, with sharp catches from Jitesh Sharma and Devdutt Padikkal adding to DC’s misery.

For DC, it was a collapse that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons — a chilling reminder of how quickly fortunes can unravel in T20 cricket, especially on a date that now carries an eerie legacy.