Rajasthan Royals clinched the final IPL 2026 playoff spot with a commanding 30-run victory over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, while Delhi Capitals ended their campaign on a winning note by defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by 40 runs at Eden Gardens.
RR were in trouble early after losing their aggressive openers inside the powerplay, but Jofra Archer transformed the game with one of the finest all-round performances of the season.
Promoted up the order, Archer smashed 32 off just 15 balls, launching three massive sixes to push Rajasthan beyond 200. Dhruv Jurel added a steady 38, while late contributions from Ravindra Jadeja and Nandre Burger helped RR finish on 205 for 8.
Archer then ripped through Mumbai’s top order with raw pace and movement. Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir and later Hardik Pandya all fell to the England quick, who ended with remarkable figures of 3 for 17.
Suryakumar Yadav’s fighting 60 briefly kept MI alive, but RR sealed victory comfortably to book an Eliminator clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
In Kolkata, KL Rahul’s explosive 60 off 30 deliveries powered Delhi Capitals to 203 for 5. Axar Patel and David Miller chipped in with valuable late runs before Kuldeep Yadav spun KKR out of contention with three crucial wickets. Ajinkya Rahane top-scored with 63, but KKR collapsed under pressure and were bowled out for 163.
Attention now turns to Qualifier 1 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans in Dharamsala. RCB arrive as defending champions, while GT enter the playoffs in red-hot form after winning six of their last seven matches.
With Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kagiso Rabada leading two powerful bowling attacks, the contest promises to be a blockbuster battle for a direct place in the final.